The Edge: Society
by LittleShush
Summary: The chopper turned away from the building on its homeward bound journey, leaving nothing behind other than a successful retrieval and two fatalities that would be wiped away as collateral damage. Warnings: Language. Violence. Scorpia Rising spoilers.
1. Chapter 1

**Part One: Facts of Existence arc**

 **Set after my intermission piece: The End Is Only The Beginning.**

 **Summary:** When an assignment goes horrendously wrong, Ben Daniels finds himself with a problem of the teenager kind and Alex finds himself stuck between worlds in the worst way. Choices need to be made and they will craft the future for both of them in a way they could never imagine possible.

 **Warnings:** Language. Violence.

 **Disclaimer:** This is a work of FanFiction using characters from the Alex Rider series, intellectual property and copyright of Anthony Horowitz.

* * *

" _Where are you going Alex?" Sabina asked from her observing point by the door, Alex looked up from the bag he was currently bent over, tucking in the final piece of clothing before placing his iPod in the front zip pocket. He looked at the young woman and offered her a small smile._

" _To Tom's for the weekend." He replied calmly, Sabina nodded slowly and Alex could see the hint of disappointment in her eyes. Alex just sighed and stood himself to full height, slowly turning his back towards her. "Look Sab-"_

" _I know." Sabina whispered. The blonde took a step forwards but she stepped back and held both her hands up in front of her. "You're sorry you can't be there right?"_

" _I'll see you on Monday. You can tell me all about it." Alex said quietly as he picked up his bag. It dangled limp at his side and Sabina stared at it as if the whole situation was its fault._

" _When are you going to tell me the truth?"_

" _I am telling you the truth."_

" _No you're not Alex, I know you." Sabina asked quietly. Alex smiled softly and threw the bag strap over his shoulder as he walked over to her. He placed a hand on her shoulder and she looked up at him. "If it's them, we can stop it, Alex. Just tell me, is it them?"_

 _Alex sighed, this wasn't the first time, and it wouldn't be the last that they had this conversation. He just arranged an honest smile on his face and shook his head._

" _Have a good audition Sab." He responded, he squeezed her shoulder gently in reassurance and pushed his way past her. Alex let out a breath as he walked to the top of the stairs. He could feel her eyes on his back and the mistrust in her eyes didn't leave as he glanced back at her._

" _Alex. Please." Sabina called. Alex sighed, he could understand her concern, he really could. After past experience, she had every right to be wary but she would never understand why. Something's, especially these things, she was best not knowing. It only led to trouble. He gave her one more reassuring smile, before he jogged down the stairs. He called a goodbye to the two adults in the lounge, and heard a muffled sob from upstairs as he pulled the door open. He didn't stop, instead he dropped his mind into the welcome neutral state and walked out into the ever darkening night._

* * *

"Five minutes to drop point." The pilot announced over his shoulder, the unnoticeable voice pulled Alex from his memory and he looked up through blonde bangs as Wolf growled from his spot and stood up quickly,

"Check lines." Wolf commanded gruffly, Alex hid his scowl and stood up as Cougar, or Agent Stevens as Alex knew him, walked over and started to check his lines. It was the first time Alex had seen him since the tussle in the bathroom of a coffee shop, but the man had recognised him instantly. Cougar started to check his pack with an amused face.

"You ready for this Cub?" he asked conversationally, with a strong south west accent to his voice. Alex had been surprised when he'd heard it, the man had hidden it well before and Alex could have laughed if the situation had been less serious. The man sounded like a farmer, rather than one of the country's elite forces.

Alex glanced at the man above him. Stevens wasn't as young as he'd originally thought, he must have been mid to late twenties but he was an adamant professional and Alex could understand why he had been approached by SO before. He held a simple no nonsense approach, even putting Wolf in his place during the debriefing. Alex had a feeling the man remembered the incident that day with startling clarity, and he was surprised when he had been greeted as an equal. He supposed one out of four wasn't bad.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Alex replied. He checked the equipment he would need for his part in this assignment was securely in place on the utility belt he had been kitted with. The others split out when they had finished their checks and Wolf looked at Alex with a scowl.

"Don't fuck this up Nothing," Wolf snarled. Alex bit back the retort he so desperately wanted to give, instead glaring at a fixed point on the interior of the Chinook. Wolf however, didn't take the hint and walked over towards him. "I mean it we've got a clean record. I'm not letting you bodge it."

Alex clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms painfully as tried to hang onto the determination not to give into the man's taunts he had endured since leaving London.

"Don't worry about your record." Alex responded tonelessly, it was a trait he had picked up over the years of being with Special Operations.

"Really?" Wolf jeered, "You shouldn't be here kid. You should be letting the grown up's get on with it."

"I can look after myself," Alex bit back quickly, Wolf smirked and cast a look over his shoulder at Eagle and Snake.

"Hear that boys? Runt thinks he can look after himself." Wolf called. The pair laughed as Wolf turned back to Alex with a scowl, his grey eyes boring into Alex's own, "This isn't a game kid. It's dangerous and I'm losing one of my team to run with you."

"Then Cougar can go with you to get the agent." Alex said offhandedly as he turned his back to the man. Wolf growled and grabbed his shoulder, Alex tensed immediately as Wolf turned him back to face him.

"I don't know what the hell you think you've done kid, but while you've been running around playing spy games. My team have been to war, seen death, seen murder. You couldn't handle that." Wolf growled.

"Maybe, maybe not."

Alex didn't particularly care if he managed to annoy the burly man, when he obviously held no regard or knowledge of Alex's own record. Wolf gave him one last piercing glare before stalking back over to the others. Alex watched his back and shook his head as he went back to running through the equipment check once again.

"Ignore him." Cougar urged, Alex just shrugged.

"One minute." The pilot yelled.

Alex looked to the cabin, and felt the first strings of nervousness thread through his stomach as the hatch at the back of the chopper started to open. His hair whipped against his face as the strong gales blew through the opening. He shut his eyes for a second and took a deep breath. It didn't seem to matter how often he completed the feat of parachute or base jumping, his mind just couldn't get used to the fact he was going to throw himself from a great height.

But it didn't stop the adrenaline that spurred through him as he watched the hatch open to full width and the red signal light glared in his vision.

The rain lashed from the sky, seeming to float sideways against the dark sky beyond it as he pulled his helmet over his head, ensuring to pull the visor down and secure it at the sides. He took up place next to Cougar as Snake and Wolf walked to the opening. Wolf held up his hand in the universal signal for okay, Snake responding with a simple nod. The light changed to green, illuminating the cabin and they both leapt out of the chopper, their bodies seemingly frozen in mid-air for a second before they fell out of sight.

Cougar touched his shoulder rather than try to talk against the wind, and gestured to the door. Alex nodded, feeling his body tense in preparation and anticipation as he followed after the man. Cougar took up his spot nearest the left side of the hatch and Alex stood beside him. He looked down, and swallowed heavily as he saw the faint lights of the compound they were aiming for. It seemed one hell of a lot further down than it was going to feel when he jumped, that much was for sure.

"You alright, Cub?" Alex snapped his head to the right, Eagle was looking at him, his face was set into a hard line and his posture tense. Alex nodded his response, hiding the small surprise he felt at being addressed at all, let alone without the regular scorned nickname. Cougar held his hand up in the same position Wolf had to Snake, and the pair nodded their confirmation. In the corner of his eye, Alex saw the light flicker to green and he jumped without a moment's hesitation out of the hatch.

The rain hit him in a flurry, the wind stealing his breath and the world lurched in a moment of disorientation as he felt the first seconds of free fall. The adrenaline thumped through his veins and he allowed a smile to play across his face for a second before he corrected his dive stance against gravity that was pulling him towards the rapidly ascending ground. Alex lifted his head, bracing his neck against the wind to see Cougar to one side of him with one hand holding his rip cord. A glance to the other side, revealed Eagle in the same position and Alex reached for his own as they yanked on them in a quick succession.

Alex hissed as the braces cut into his frame and reached up to grip the ropes with one hand and wipe the visor with the other one, clearing his vision in time to see both Eagle and Cougar starting their downwards spiral to the target.

He reached up to grab his own steering handles, looking up when only one was in the place it was supposed to be. His breath caught in his throat as he saw the right hand steering handle caught in the ropes of the chute just above his head. Mentally he cursed, and let go of the one in his left hand he lifted his hand further up the ropes currently stopping him from falling to his death. He heaved himself up quickly with his left hand, causing the chute to sway dangerously to one side he reached out desperately with his right hand. He felt the first instant dip in elevation just as his fingers caught around the right handle and he yanked it down to try to correct the chute's position against the wind. He winced, as once again the harness cut in under his arms and pulled the right handle down further, there was a gust of wind and he felt the chute above him stabilise out with only a little hesitation.

Alex glanced down, seeing he was now well off target he tried to turn himself back into formation again. The rooftop was coming closer, and he saw Wolf's furious face as he glided below the lip of the roof a good few metres away.

"Fuck." Alex muttered and he pulled the left handle, steering himself towards the second lower rooftop that was the only place he could realistically land without giving them away. He was falling fast, too fast for a gentle landing and he cringed, feeling a light twinge in his ankle as his feet thumped against the asphalt. He ran forwards, twisting after a few feet with the chute trailing behind him, the movement's momentum causing the black material to glide to the floor silently.

He shrugged the harness off his shoulders, and grabbed the chute from the floor, rolling it up as he moved towards a small group of pipes that protruded from the roof. He pulled the helmet roughly of his head, shaking his hair out of his eyes as he tucked both items in among the small gathering of plumbing. He pulled the earpiece they had all been provided with from his belt and dropped to a crouch next to the pipes with a deep breath, steadying an adrenaline shaking hand against the cold metal.

"Wolf." Alex hissed, he could only hope the microphone was loud enough to pick it up.

" _Nothing, what the fuck are you doing? Can you not even bloody fly properly?"_

Alex rolled his eyes. The man's demeanour really did get old quick.

"Obviously not Wolf. What are we doing?" Alex muttered in response. There was a burst of static, he winced as it rang through his ears and glared up at the opposite roof the others were occupying. He frowned when there was no immediate response, but he did hear the quiet muttering through his earpiece, that only stopped as a figure walked towards the edge of the opposite rooftop. He would have recognised the silhouette anywhere. It was too short to be the others.

" _Cub?"_

"Cougar?" Alex asked, he smiled slightly, at least now he would actually have communication who would speak sense than jeer. Alex saw the man's amble reflected in the silhouette that joined Wolf's side.

" _Yeah, listen, stay where you are. I'm coming to you, you're on the right building for the info."_

Alex looked across his own rooftop, eyes coming to rest on the metal door, he smirked and pushed himself up from his crouch. He had taken the first step towards it when he heard several voices in his ear all at once.

" _Cub. Wait-"_

"I can get it." Alex muttered as he dropped back into his original position, he wouldn't be able to do anything with them shouting at him. He heard a growl, and a lower voice as if a hand was over the receiver.

" _Kid thinks he can handle this himself."_

Alex took a calming breath and looked back up to the other rooftop.

"How long we got?" Alex asked simply, determined to ignore the arrogant idiot. There was a rustle before Cougar's voice was the principle again,

" _Long enough for me to get to you and back again."_

"And the files?" Alex asked, he looked up at the rooftop to see four shadows crouched at the edge. They weren't meant to be split up like this and they were wasting time. The pause dragged on, they were wasting time. "Wolf. You know we don't have time for this. Let me get them."

Alex watched, as a voice carried through the earpiece before it all went silent. They'd cut radio contact, and Alex looked up to see two of the men stood up. One was definitely Wolf, and it was only when he saw the other squaring up to the man and gesturing violently with his hands that Alex realised the other must be Cougar. The mikes cut back on with a hint of static,

" _-not happy about this."_

" _It's not like we have a fucking choice."_ Alex watched as Wolf turned his back to Cougar, _"You got thirty minutes kid. Don't fuck up. Radio silence."_

" _Wolf-"_

Alex cut Cougar's voice off in his ear as he flicked the tiny switch to deactivate his own radio. He lowered his hand to his belt, and brushed his fingertips against the small explosives he was to place, that would leave them with limited time to get to the chopper.

He pushed himself to his feet, with one lingering glance up at the figures on the opposite roof, before he held up his hand with a mock salute before running deftly across the roof to the door. He pushed himself back against the wall when he reached the small room that housed the stairwell, and he checked the lip of the roof for cameras before reaching a hand out for the heavy steel handle.

It was cold, almost freezing against his palm and the rain had made it slippery, but it was with a firm grip that he pushed it down gently and upon hearing the latch click open he eased it open slowly. He smirked and eased himself into the small room beyond. He stayed near the wall, as the door slowly eased itself closed behind him and he held down the handle until it led flat in its frame. He waited a second, listening intently for any sounds of hostile activity while he tried to mentally recollect the layout they had studied from the blueprints.

Satisfied with both, he travelled the short hallway, a slight shiver wracking his frame as his rain drenched clothes touched his skin. He stopped when he reached the stairs and started down them, cringing as the heel of his boot cast a metallic chink into the air. He grabbed the steel handrail, and looked down the rest of the set as he heard footsteps from below. He pulled his foot back and crouched as he saw a man's legs walk into his limited view, eager to hide himself rather than get into an all out confrontation in only half known surroundings.

He held his breath, not moving an inch as the armed man past the foot of the stairs, he pulled himself upright using the rail and looked thoughtfully at the stairs.

His boots would make too much noise.

He eased the first one off, and placed it at the top of the stairs. The second quickly followed. He wiggled his toes, as if stretching them, before placing the first foot on the top step without a sound, he made the most of all his experience and stealth training as he tiptoed down the stairs. He looked in the direction the guard had been walking, and listened for any sound before turning and running in the opposite direction towards the main stairwell, his feet now only making tiny padding noises against the floor.

He peered through the glass panel in the door, before easing it open. The hinges sent a shrill squeal into the air as he pushed it open and he moved through it quickly, pressing himself back into the wall behind him as the door slid shut beside him.

He could only hope no one heard it as he jogged down the stairs. He stopped by a set two floors down, and once again checked the glass window before exiting. He saw a door marked 14 and he smirked before pulling the door open and padding across to it.

Alex checked both ways in the hallway before easing the door open slowly. It was dark inside, and he slipped through the opening, easing the door closed after him. He stood still for a second, eyes calmly scanning the darkened office, before making his way to the filing cabinet that stood in the corner of the room. He pulled the picklocks out of the utility belt and worked them into the small lock channel, inching them around until the longer of the two pins caught its target. He held the second pin steady with his forefinger and gently urged the other one upwards, the lock gave a quick click and he smirked as he pulled the drawer open. The expression turned to a frown as he rifled through the papers inside, pushing the drawer closed a little harder than he meant to he opened the next, almost frantically searching through but to the same result. No disk or hard drive.

"What the hell." Alex muttered to himself in confusion, it was meant to be here. The intelligence had said it was going to be here. He turned when he heard a quiet noise behind him to see the door of the office being opened and the sound of radio airspace drifting through.

Alex pushed the drawer closed and threw himself behind the desk, landing as silently as possible and squeezing himself into the small alcove that would normally conceal someone's legs. Awkwardly, he glanced under the desk, only seeing a non-regiment set of boots that thudded against the plastic flooring as they walked around the room. Awkwardly he pulled his legs up to his body, cursing his height as his hair brushed against the underneath of the desk, causing a loud scratching noise in his mind.

He really was getting to damn old for this.

Alex shut his eyes and held his breath, trying to steady his thumping heart as he knew, if discovered, if he would be shot on sight. And seeing as he had no weapon, because they _still_ wouldn't let him have one, he would have no way to defend himself against another weapon of the sort. He willed his heart to stop beating altogether as the footsteps neared the desk and he heard another set of footsteps faintly, from the direction of the door and hallway beyond.

"Ricardo, we got to go to block 1." A gruff voice announced. Alex snapped his eyes open again as the guards, Ricardo's he presumed, feet made their way away from the desk once again, and he risked another glance under the panel to see two uniformed guards stood by the doorway.

"I was told to keep an eye on this room." Ricardo responded in a heavy Spanish accent. Alex frowned as the other guard shrugged.

"Orders. Come."

The two men made their way out of the room at pace and Alex slowly let go of the breath he had unconsciously been holding as the door thudded shut behind him. Silently, he thanked his luck and leant his head back against the desk with a sigh.

Things were going disastrously wrong, and he snapped his eyes open as he realised where the guards were headed. He sprang out from under the desk and moved to the door, twisting the lock across with a quiet click as he fumbled in his belt for the earpiece. He shoved it into his ear roughly and flicked the switch over.

"Wolf?" Alex muttered, he knew that a whisper would be enough, but the fact he hadn't heard the guard's footsteps had signified the wood was thick enough. There was no response, and as he waited he felt the first icy tendrils of fear creeping into his stomach.

"Wolf?" Alex tried again, only the resounding silence filled his ears. "Damn, if you can hear me. They're coming for you."

Still no response.

Alex grabbed the charges from his belt and placed them in the positions Snake had advised, before stalking back to the door. He lifted his wrist and looked at the silver watch there, pushing the small red button on the underside into the activation position. A small green led lit up on the front, showing the detonation process and the time was instantly replaced with a countdown timer.

Alex rubbed a hand over his face, before heading back to the door and easing it open, checking the corridor both ways before stealthily making his way back towards the stairwell. He ducked behind a container for a second, to listen in vain for a response from the others, snapping his head up when he heard footsteps from behind him. He didn't hesitate as he yanked the top of the container away and climbed into the cramped space, pulling the top down after him.

He kept silent as the footsteps walked past him a minute later, thumping hard on the ground giving the blonde reassurance that his place of hiding hadn't been detected and he let out a quiet sigh. He had to get to block one.

Alex jumped when a loud voice resounded through the corridor.

"Reif, you are meant to be in the basement."

"Y-yes sir. I-I was t-told to go to b-block one."

"Who told you?" the voice that spoke was commanding, and Alex could almost envisage the guard trembling when he was stood in that presence. Alex shut his eyes and took a slow breath as the pause drew out a little longer. There was the sound of shuffling feet, and Alex wondered just how intimidating the newcomer was.

"D-Dobbs, sir."

"I overrule. Get back to the basement, we need to be cautious." Alex slowly opened his eyes as there was a long pause and he eased his head up towards the lid were a sliver of light was being filtered through. From his makeshift window he could see a tall man with greying hair stood directly in front of the crate, and a younger man, possibly early twenties with dark hair stood nervously in front of him. "What are you waiting for Reif? Get back down there."

The greying man had spoken with careful pronunciation, but the tint of an accent was there. Alex could only pick out a light trace, not enough to deduce the man's nationality, but it was enough to let him know he wasn't English. He wondered why, when they were on an assignment in Croatia they were using English, maybe it was the only common language they knew. It wouldn't have been a rare occurrence for that to be the case. Alex narrowed his eyes, trying to take in more of the man's behaviour when Reif spoke again.

"They're going to blow the building sir."

"I know that. Which is why I'm giving you two choices, go back to the basement and potentially make it out alive. Or stay here and I shoot you."

"B-but there will be nothing left of me or the s-spy sir." Reif stuttered. Alex bit his lip, withholding a groan, yet _another_ piece of incorrect information they had been passed. Alex mentally cursed whoever this supposed spy was but his attention snapped back to the present as he heard the sound of a hammer being lowered. Reif looked between it and the man within an open mouth,

"If that is your wish." The older said coldly, Alex stared as Reif's mouth opened and closed in wordless movements. Alex awaited the sound of the gunshot and he couldn't tear his eyes away in morbid fascination. He saw the older man's finger twitch slightly and Reif threw his hands up.

"N-no Sir." He yelled, taking a quick breath, "I'll go."

"Good." The grey man stated simply as he slipped his gun back into its holster. He turned and started to walk away without another words, his confident strides taking him out of Alex's viewpoint through the small opening. Instead he watched Reif who ran a hand over his face and took a deep breath before heading back in the direction he had come from. Alex eased himself back into an uncomfortable crouch, feeling something dig into the side of his thigh he looked down. He was just about to move the polystyrene, when the footsteps outside of his hiding placed stopped.

"On second thoughts. Reif?" It was the older man's voice, and Alex could imagine the younger man turning to look when his footsteps stopped. There was a loud bang and the resonance of the gunshot filled his mind as a sadistic laugh reached his ears.

"You should have stayed in the basement. Aptal oğlan."

Alex frowned at the unrecognisable language as the man's footsteps were dissipating into the air, he allowed himself a small sigh as he eased the top of the carton open. The first thing he noticed was the man's body, with a steady pool of red growing around it, before a hint of silver caught his eye in the bottom of the container. He brushed some of the packing aside, eyes widening as he took in the C4 loaded at the bottom of the box. Glancing up the hall, he could see another identical container near the office he had left just minutes before.

 _There will be nothing left of me or the spy_

"Crap." Alex muttered, the detonation devices he had planted were only meant to cause enough structural damage to distract attention. These blocks would blow the place to oblivion.

Not bothering to shut the container he ran over to the body that was prone on the floor. He avoided stepping in the blood as he grabbed the gun from the fallen man's holster, tucking it into his belt, before he started searching the dead man's body for anything else of value. He pulled back triumphant with a set of keys in his grasp as he heard voices from one end of the hall, he grabbed the weapon from his belt and, feeling emboldened, ran towards the stairwell.

Alex pushed through the doors without checking and started to sprint down the stairs. They'd gotten this all wrong. The agent was in block two, not one, as they had been advised and if he was still there when those charges went off he'd be going back to Britain in a nice little box. If they found any remains, that was.

Alex glanced at the watch as he approached his exit floor, and with a determined look at the door he was meant to use as an exit, he ran straight past it and down the next set of stairs to the basement. He jumped the final six steps, landing with a heavy thud and the gun still clasped in his hand as he pushed through the heavy metal door. He stopped in the dank hallway that was beyond it, and looked both ways, debating on direction. He glanced at his watch,

12 minutes.

12 minutes to find the agent, hope he wasn't in too bad a shape and get out. He sprinted down the corridor to his right, yanking open each of the viewing hatches to check for occupants and cursing when he reached the end and found no one. One look back at his wrist.

11 minutes.

He ignored the protest from his aching leg muscles and sprinted back down the hall, eerily aware of his heart thumping along with the seconds and started on the set of doors that would have been to his original left. He stopped dead when he saw a slight movement in the 5th one in, and he tucked the gun into the back of his belt as he pulled out the keys he had lifted from Reif. He tried each one, with whispered words of encouragement for each to fit as the adrenaline thumped through him and he almost yelled in satisfaction when he finally found the right one. He pushed the door open, it slammed back against the wall with a loud thud as he entered. Surprised brown eyes looked up at him, shaded with relief as recognition filled the face in front of him. Alex groaned, as he hurried over to the figure restrained to the wall by shackles.

"I should have fucking known." Alex murmured as he eased the smallest of the keys into the cuff's. The prisoner just looked at him curiously as he quietly cursed and tried the next key.

"Alex, why have you got no shoes on?" Ben asked, his eyes staring at the blonde's sock clad feet. Alex glared at him, not missing the obvious relief on the man's face as the key he was working with released one wrist with a quiet click.

"Can you move?" he asked bluntly, Ben nodded as he massaged his wrists that were raw from the manacles. "We need to get out in nine and half. Or you'll never get an answer."

"Well, when you ask so nicely." Ben muttered as he pushed himself to his feet. Alex turned towards the door, stopping dead when two armed figures entered the room with scowls on their faces. Ben grabbed the protruding handle of the gun from Alex's belt and two shots rang out quickly. Both men fell, one grabbing at his leg, the other at his arm but both emitting strangled yells. Alex gave Ben a disappointed look.

"It's meant to be quality over quantity Ben." Alex chastised before he ran past the two men, Ben smirked and followed after him. Pushing himself to get into step with the younger spy, he took a quick breath.

"Whoever told you that was lying." Ben said, Alex looked at him with a raised eyebrow and a responding smirk before the pair crashed through the stairwell doors. Ben kept pace behind Alex as he led them up and out onto the ground floor, turning right as they left the stairwell.

"Do you even know where you're going?" Ben asked, taking deep breathes to keep his voice even.

"I bloody hope so." Alex muttered as they rounded another corner. He spotted the double glass entrance doors and as a pair they pushed through them, out into the whipping rain and wind. Alex looked in the direction of the other building and gestured towards it before continuing his run in a crouch alongside the wall. Ben followed after him only to see Alex go sprawling to the ground as he ran full pelt into another figure shaded by the wall. Alex cursed as his back hit the gravel floor and Ben whipped up the pistol without hesitation, faltering for a second when he saw the SAS blacks the man was wearing.

"Jesus. Fuck it, Cub." Cougar muttered as he pulled the blonde up of the ground by his shoulders. Alex glanced back at Ben, who was looking at the man with an amused smirk.

"Cougar." Alex stated, Ben nodded.

"I know."

Alex started his run towards the next building without any further word and Cougar watched him go with an amused face before looking at Ben. Ice blue eyes met warm brown and Ben gave a curt, tense nod in his direction before they sprinted off after Alex. They caught up to him as he peered through a window for the stairwell, cautiously watching as a set of guards ran down towards the basement.

"Alex, What's going on?" Ben asked through slightly uneven breaths. Alex looked at him with a hint of a worried frown.

"Is this really the time?" Alex half-snapped, his eyes once again turning to the window. Ben clicked his mouth closed and Cougar gave him an exasperated look.

"How long?" Cougar asked calmly, Alex glanced at his watch and groaned as he pushed the door open, not looking forward to the sprint up the next five set of stairs.

"Seven." He responded simply as their own footsteps echoed round the enclosed space, "Where are the others?"

"On the roof, last I knew." Cougar responded, "I left to get you about 15 minutes ago."

Alex just nodded as a loud alarm started to sound through the stair well. Ben drew level to Alex's side, and Ben could see the slight concern there as Alex gave him a slight shake of his head. Cougar muttered a curse, Alex glanced back at him to see him looking down between the stairs, he followed the man's line of sight to see a large group of people moving below them. He heard the footsteps getting louder and he pointed at Cougar's belt, specifically the grenade's.

"Use a grenade." Alex said through heaving breath's. Cougar kept pace and shook his head.

"It's too enclosed."

"As we go through the door." Ben responded, Alex shot him a thankful look as he took another deep breath and pushed his pace on the final set. Cougar pulled a grenade off his belt and held it ready, one finger in the loop of the pin. Alex felt his muscles screaming at him to stop as they reached the door and he yanked the handle down. It didn't move. He looked at Ben, before glaring at Cougar.

"You locked the fucking door?" Alex asked as he dropped himself into a crouch. Cougar opened his mouth to snap a reply but Ben shook his head so the blonde could concentrate as Alex once again pulled the picklocks out and eased them into the lock. It didn't take as long as the filing cabinet, and as the first gunshot rang through the air Alex pulled the handle again, he grabbed the back of Ben's shirt and tugged him backwards through the now open door. Cougar pulled the pin on the grenade and threw it down the stairs towards their pursuers, before shoving Alex's back and slamming the door behind him.

Alex scowled as his knees burnt when they scraped against the asphalt on the rooftop, and he pushed himself to his feet. Ben did the same beside him and Cougar leant his forehead against the door after sliding the metal bolt across. He slowly turned to look at the other two, his eyes coming to rest on something over the Alex's shoulder.

"Well that went well." Alex muttered, to his side Ben gave a quiet huff of humourless laughter.

"I did wonder when the rest of you would be joining us."

Alex recognised the voice, and he turned quickly, groaning when he saw the remaining three members of K unit were being held at gunpoint. He looked over to Ben, the man was paler than Alex had realised and he looked thoroughly exhausted, almost ready to drop any second. Alex flicked his gaze back as the man who had shot Reif earlier started walking towards him, this time though, the gun was trained firmly on Alex. A guard walked by his side with an automatic rifle pointing between Ben and Cougar, the muzzle reflecting glints of the moon as it moved. Alex's eyes were fixed on the eerie smile that had appeared on the man's face as he advanced.

"Put the weapons down, both of you or I kill _him."_ The man demanded. Alex saw, in the corner of his eye as the two men shared a glance, before placing their weapons on the ground and standing slowly with their hands up and away from their bodies. The grey man smirked and kept his eyes on Alex. "Kick them here."

The sound of metal grating against the floor resounded around the rooftop, as both weapons were kicked forwards by their respective owners and the guard picked them up quickly, throwing them hard over the edge of the roof.

"And you, you got any weapons?" Grey asked. Alex shook his head slowly, the smile was back. "Shame, something tells me you could be lethal with one."

"Lucky for you then." Alex muttered, he didn't move his gaze from the man's face, insistent on ignoring the weapon that was pointing towards him and Grey smirked as he prowled forwards slowly with assessing eyes.

"You not scared to die, little boy?" Grey had stopped directly in front of him and the gun was now level with his head, Alex glanced to Ben and saw his prone state, with his fists clenched at his sides. He looked over to K-unit who were struggling against their captors and then Cougar who appeared frozen to the spot, without a guard, but not in a position to do anything either. Alex slowly turned his eyes back to the man in front of him, a smirk coming to rest on his face.

"Is that a trick question?"

"Shall we test it out and see?" Grey asked, there was a twitch in his face that Alex recognised as annoyance and the smirk didn't leave his face as Grey pulled back the hammer with a measured thumb. The noise was deafening in his ears, the quiet click seeming to reverberate through his skull but his eyes didn't leave the man's in front of him.

"No!" Cougar yelled from Alex's right. Grey's lips twisted upwards slightly, eyes leaving Alex slowly as he looked over to the soldier stood alone. The gun followed its owner's path. Alex let go of the breath he had been holding involuntarily and Ben gave him a concerned look as Grey took a step towards Cougar. Alex shook his head in silent answer and turned to watch the man with wary eyes.

"You are attached to the boy?" Grey said with a smirk, Cougar scowled and shook his head eying the gun that was now pointing at him warily.

"I don't believe in hurting children." Cougar replied quickly. Alex frowned as the words stung against a memory in his mind and the grey man let out a bark of laughter. It was a truly hollow sound, it contained no humour whatsoever.

"I wouldn't want you to watch his execution then. You first."

Grey's aim didn't falter and he didn't hesitate not once as he pulled the trigger. The shot rang out through the still air. Alex had watched to see Cougar falling back as if in slow motion until he came to rest, lying motionless on the floor with a splattering of blood dead centre on his forehead. He swallowed heavily and looked over to K-unit, who were looking on with pure loathing on their faces, his eyes followed the natural line and moved on to Ben, his face was different. Ben didn't look angry, instead he was as pale as a sheet and not struggling against the guard that had a gun loosely held at his side. Alex waited, and when Ben looked back at him Alex could see the darkness echoed in those eyes that were normally warm, but the message got across anyway. Grey was walking back towards him with an amused look on his face and once again the gun was aimed at Alex, calculating eyes were run over the blonde and Alex steeled himself against what was to come next.

"You're an interesting one. So calm, so collected. It's a shame you just had to come back for your friends." Grey mused out loud as he stopped in front of Alex once again, the muzzle was rested gently against his forehead. The blonde showed no recognition that the cold metal had touched his skin, "You're very placid in the face of death for one who has had so little experience of life."

The hammer was pulled back again, Alex tensed, pulling the muscles in his legs into a tight bunch, ignoring the pangs of hurt from the unnatural sprint they had endured that evening.

"I almost feel bad for having to kill you, such great potential."

Alex didn't move, but the yells that were now coming from the soldiers were getting louder. Eagle's voice yelling above the rest, but this time Grey didn't divert away from him as he had done with Cougar. Instead he smirked, and Alex spoke with a calm that he wasn't particularly feeling.

"A lot of people say that." Alex agreed, releasing the tension in his legs, he kicked at the man's kneecap, launching himself forwards as Grey faltered from the blow. The pair sprawled backwards onto the ground, the Grasch the man had been holding skittered across the rooftop and out of reach.

The others had reacted instantly upon seeing Alex's act, catching their own guards by surprise and disarming them. Alex was straddled across Grey's chest, punching him repeatedly in the face as the thought of Cougar ran through his mind. He only stopped when he felt a force push against his chest and he was shoved backwards, falling to ground on his back. He scrambled to his feet as Grey did the same opposite him with a scowl.

"You'll regret that child." Grey spat, Alex blocked the strong punch that was aimed at his face before whipping his leg round in roundhouse. It connected with the man's side and Alex started pulling back in the direction of Ben. He could fight, he knew that, but it would only be a matter of time before his exertions would win out and his only chance would be in numbers. Ben had apparently had the same idea as he was working his own way back towards the other three soldiers who were already practically back to back against their own guards. Alex's sideways glance towards them cost him, as an elbow struck his face and a fist landed against his chest. He stumbled back a couple of steps from the impact, taking a sharp gasp of air as Grey grabbed his neck and lifted him, seemingly easily as his feet left the floor. In the corner of his eye, Alex saw Wolf down his guard with a palm strike to the nose and move towards Eagle's assailant, he looked back at Grey who had a smirk on his face.

"Still not scared?"

"Never." Alex choked out, kicking forwards with the right leg he felt it hit the man's groin. The grip was dislodged immediately as Grey keeled over with a groan and Alex dropped to the floor beside him, taking large gasps of breath as he pulled himself to his feet. He took a step back as Grey snarled and moved forwards once again, Alex blocked the punch from the man and from the door they had exited through, he caught the sounds of yells and thuds. He groaned, dropping to a crouch as Grey aimed a roundhouse that moved quick enough to have done serious damage otherwise. He sprang up and looked to the others as two more of the guards dropped, Ben turned to where he was.

"The door- " Alex yelled, cut off as a foot connected with his ribs from the right. He was knocked to the floor and he grabbed his ribs taking a struggling breath as he curled in against the rain of blows he was expecting. In the distance he could hear the thudding of copter rotor's, and he saw as the other's felled their guards. Grey was stood next to him Alex shut his eyes and groaned as he felt a foot connect with his back. He twisted onto his back and Grey was glaring down at him, the gun that Alex had knocked away earlier was back in the man's hands above him.

"Pull out." Wolf yelled, the three soldiers started the run to the opposite side of the roof where the chopper was designated to drop and Ben cast an eye around to see the kick that was delivered to the Alex's side. He ran without thinking, seeing the gun once again in the man's hand and shoved him away from the young spy. Alex looked up at him, his nose bloody and wheezing for breath, Ben grabbed the front of his shirt pulling him to his feet,

"Can you run?" Ben asked urgently as he turned. Alex said nothing but pushed himself to sprint after Ben as he ran after the soldiers. Each step was pulling at his ribs painfully but he gritted his teeth and kept his eyes forwards. Eagle was the first to reach the chopper and he scrambled up onto the deck, turning to grab Snake's hand when it was offered, he heaved him up and into the hold. Snake did the same on the opposite side of the door, as guards started to swarm through the stairwell entrance. They shared a glance, both looking vaguely horrified before Eagle swore.

"Hurry up!" Eagle yelled at the remaining three and Snake ducked down and grabbed Wolf's hand when he reached the chopper. Alex turned his head when Eagle shouted and looked at the men on the rooftop, he looked to Ben who had copied the look when the yell was given before his head turned back to the front as the gunshots started to ring through the air. Some were missing, some were raining down just inches behind their feet, sending asphalt spray up around their ankles that stung as it hit their skin. Ben hissed as one rogue bullet grazed his arm and Alex looked to him with a concerned expression. Ben grit his teeth and waved him off, ducking his head and pushing himself faster. Alex watched him, but the night's events were taking its toll and he struggled to pull a full breath, his muscles clenched in protest, firmly ignoring his mental insistence to move faster.

He felt a sharp pain in his left thigh, and stumbled, hands and chest burning as he skidded to a halt where he landed on the rooftop.

"Fuck." Alex muttered, he glanced down at his leg to see the split in the cargo trousers he was wearing, a thin graze line visible on the pale skin underneath and he pushed himself to his feet roughly. He could see Ben had already reached the chopper, Eagle was pulling him on board and Alex ran again, trying his best to ignore the fluid that was running down his leg, warm and irritating against his skin. The air was filled with silence as the gunshots stopped and he fought the urge to turn back and see what was happening, instead concentrating solely on the faces that were growing closer in his sight. He saw Ben say something to Wolf and the shorter man moved towards the door with a surprised look.

"Hurry up, Cub!" Wolf bellowed, Alex glared at him but didn't change pace. He couldn't have moved faster if he'd wanted to, every ache in his body thrummed in time with his heartbeat. He grabbed Ben's hand as he reached the chopper and the man heaved back. Alex breathed a sigh of relief, loosening the grasp as he felt himself being lifted off the ground. He gave Ben a thankful look and he felt the man's grip tighten on him as Eagle snatched for his other arm with a surprised expression.

Alex found out why when he felt a pair of hands latched onto his legs and pulled him back. His relief, that had loosened his grip, made his hand slide from Ben's and he kicked his legs back to try to get away, grabbing towards the chopper with his other hand. It connected with metal runner and slid away as he was dragged a couple of paces away from the chopper and pulled into a firm bear hold. He felt the muzzle of a gun being pressed to his head roughly and he stilled instantly, the cold laugh gave away his captor and Alex looked around at the scene that was panning out around with deceptively calm eyes.

The guards that had streamed from the stairwell were approaching in hoards, Grey was the one holding him in this compromising position and directly in front of him were four, five if you included the pilot, men who were dutifully doing their job.

Alex shut his eyes and took a deep breath, concentrating solely on the metal that was now resting against his temple and understanding that the guards wouldn't hesitate in taking the chopper down. He felt a strong wash of resignation come over him and he knew this was always the way it was going to end, and slowly he opened his eyes. A strange feeling of calm acceptance had overtaken him, and he looked directly at Ben as the gun was pushed even harder against his temple.

"Get off the chopper and he doesn't die." Grey ordered in a yell, Alex didn't move his eyes from Ben as the others looked at him and he offered the man a small sad smile before looking to Wolf. Wolf's face was impassive as ever, but there was an underlying edge of panic in his eyes Alex hadn't seen before and he knew the man was caught in indecision.

In that particular moment, there were no harsh words, no snarls or looks of malice. There was just one thing and that was truth, Alex knew exactly what Wolf was going to have to do and he nodded his confirmation. Wolf blinked once, twice as if double checking, before he turned.

"Pull up!" Wolf barked at the pilot, the helmeted soldier looked at him hesitantly and Wolf scowled as he made no effort to move. Ben span to look at Wolf with a disbelieving expression.

"Wolf, we can't-"

"I said go! Now!" Wolf bellowed. The pilot snapped his head around and started to lift the chopper up and away from the building. Ben gave Wolf a glare before turning back to the door. He felt a restraining hand on his shoulder as he watched the scene below. Alex was released from the bear hold and forced to face the grey man as he held the gun to his head. The explosion from the second building ripped through the air, buffeting the chopper slightly but the four men in the hold were watching with avid eyes as the debris scattered around them. All Ben's attention was one that one small tired looking figure as the light from the flames flickered across his face, mouth opening as words were exchanged between the pair.

There was a yell, but the words were muffled and Ben took a step closer to the door as Alex struck out with a fist. Simultaneously a single gunshot resounded through the night air. Both fell. Neither got up. But the spattering of blood where the bullet had ripped through Alex's torso before he fell was unmistakeable.

Ben listened to the sound of the rotors thumping above his head, everything else dulling to silence, as he willed for the blonde to get up, to be okay, the same as all the other times things had gone so disastrously wrong.

But the pool of blood around Alex's tall but slight figure continued to grow, mocking him as the thumping sound of the rotors dulled to silence in his mind and the chopper turned away on its homeward bound journey, leaving nothing, other than a successful retrieval and two fatalities that would be wiped away as collateral damage.


	2. Chapter 2

**Warnings:** Language. Possible misuse of alcohol.

 **Disclaimer:** This is a work of FanFiction using characters from the Alex Rider series, intellectual property and copyright of Anthony Horowitz.

* * *

Ben Daniels turned the engine of the car off with a heavy sigh and dropped his hand into his lap as he bowed his head. He took a deep breath to compose himself before he dragged his eyes up to the house he had parked in front of.

It had been two days since that retrieval mission had gone so wrong, he'd only had one day in hospital and the next night he'd spent at the bank, compiling reports and timelines for the heads to read to their hearts content as they celebrated another  
successful mission. For him it was like writing a step by step autopsy for a death that should never have happened.

Ben yanked the keys out of the ignition and shoved his door open roughly. He grabbed his bag from the passenger seat before turning towards the stairs of the house, locking the car as he walked up the stairs with his mind elsewhere. He pushed the door  
key into the lock and turned it roughly, taking out the frustration that had taken route on the mechanism and it opened with an unsatisfying click. He walked in quickly, pushing the door closed roughly behind him, throwing the keys onto their hook  
and dropping his bag to the floor.

"Ben." Ben snapped his head up to see Eagle in the doorway of the lounge and wondered how he hadn't realised there was someone in his house. The red head was looking at him with a frown and Ben nodded out a stark greeting. Awkwardness fell between them  
and Eagle rubbed the back of his neck with one hand as he took a step out into the hallway.

"You think this is bad, you should try being near Luke." Eagle muttered quietly, Ben could tell he was trying to lighten the mood and he gave Eagle a humourless smile, the sound of the TV quietly filtered through from the lounge.

"What are you doing here, Ryan?"Ben asked tiredly, Eagle looked to the lounge before looking back with a guilty expression.

"We wanted to see how you were."

"You just thought you'd let yourself in?" Ben asked with a raised eyebrow, the man actually had the manners to turn slightly red.

"Quinn said you wouldn't mind, that you gave him a key."

"Right." Ben said simply, he didn't really have any other response, under any other circumstance it would probably have been the case. "You're all here?"

"Yeah."

"Okay." Ben picked up the bag he had thrown to the floor when he had entered and walked towards the stairs. He knew he was in no mood to see Wolf at this precise moment, and the footsteps that drifted through from the lounge made him pick up his pace  
as he walked up the stairs. A hand appearing on the banister stopped him and he looked down at Eagle, the man looked like he was going to urge him to come sit in the lounge. Instead, Eagle seemed to think better of it and he sighed.

"How's your arm?" Eagle asked quietly. Ben shrugged.

"Could be worse,"Ben muttered as he started up the stairs again,pointedly ignoringthe whispers from beneath him. He started towards his room at the front of the house, stopping abruptly when the bathroom door opened just down the hall.  
Wolf walked out and stopped dead when he saw Ben, there was a beat of silence before either spoke.

"Ben, how you feeling?" Wolf asked awkwardly, Ben mulled the question over firmly pushing aside any animosity to keep his tone somewhat neutral.

"Fine, Luke. You?"

"Never better." Wolf muttered, they stood like that for a minute, until Wolf walked forwards and passed Ben without another word and stomped down the stairs. Ben just settled himself by shaking his head and glaring at the man's back before stalking to  
his room and closing the door roughly behind him. The thud of the wood mingled with the sound of the bag as he threw it to the chair in the corner and he led down on his bed, scrubbing a hand over his face roughly.

This was bad, he knew it. He'd been out of the SAS now for 16 months, but the men currently occupying his lounge were the ones he knew the best and could read them as easily as the morning paper. It hadn't changed with his departure, there was an adjustment  
period but somehow they had found a routine that allowed them to carry on a comfortable friendship, or at least mostly. Things weren't easy like they used to be, they used to be able to laugh things off with a poor joke from Eagle, but this atmosphere  
was one of old that Ben hadn't felt for a long time.

The snarky, edgy words, tense postures and more than anything, the silences. Ben shook his head to himself and pulled one of his pillows over his head. It had been like this only once before, and the outcome hadn't been particularly pleasant, resulting  
in him moving out of the house they had once shared in Camden. Ben pulled the pillow away from his head when there was a light tap on the door,

"What?" Ben called, staring up at the ceiling. Snake poked his head through the door with a concerned look.

"You going to come downstairs? We need to talk." Snake said quietly. Ben narrowed his eyes at the ceiling as the Scot once again tried to play the peacemaker, he shook his head and pulled the pillow back over his face.

"There's nothing to talk about. I think you should go home, I'll call you later." Ben replied, his voice muffled by the covering and exhaustion. Snake sighed and walked into the room, Ben growled and removed the pillow once again, dropping it to the bed  
beside him with a quiet thud.

"Ben-"

"Look Quinn, I've had no sleep, I've spent the last 24 hours writing reports and assignment summaries after getting out of hospital. To top it all, I had a session with Huhne so I really would appreciate it if you would just leave me alone." Ben said  
as calmly as he could muster, he stuffed the pillow under his head and turned his back on the man. He heard Snake shuffle awkwardly as the silence filled the room.

"Alright. Well if you want-"

"To talk?" Ben asked, staring resolutely at the wall. "It won't be anywhere near Luke."

"He made the right call, Ben." Snake said simply, there was an imploring tone to his voice and Ben pushed himself up quickly, turning to look at the medic. Ben rubbed a hand over his face and took a deep breath, pulling away and calming himself from the  
thoughts that seemed to have been racing since his mundane stay in the hospital.

"Quinn, it's really not a good time."

Snake turned and left after another moment's silence and Ben threw the pillow at the door in frustration, only just stopping the obscenity from escaping his lips as he flopped back against the mattress. He heard the front door open and close less than  
ten minutes later, and when he heard the minivan that Eagle owns start up, he clamped his eyes closed and tried to force his mind to relax into a restless sleep.

* * *

 _Darkness._

 _Not the stifling darkness of eyes behind clenched eyelids, nor the claustrophobic darkness of a room with no windows._

 _No._

 _This darkness was warm, inviting, comfortable and it was being dragged away._

 _Small sounds._

 _An insistent, high pitched beep moving slowly in and out of focus as if transmitting on broken radio waves._

 _Cold._

 _It started with the twitch of a finger, before it started clawing at toes and snaking up a torso that was barely covered by a scratchy material._

 _Louder sounds._

 _Voices that pierced through the silence. Attempting to be low and subtle, but sounding like a yell as they resonated through sensitive ear drums._

" _You need to deal with this."_

" _I am,"_

" _In a satisfactory manner." That voice, deadly, lethal._

" _Soon, I will." The reply, sly, conniving and greedy._

 _Then a small scratch, like so many other inconsequential injuries followed by the darkness once again._

* * *

"We want to congratulate you on a successful assignment, Agent Daniels." Mrs Jones said primly as she placed another peppermint on her tongue. Ben watched her, his face completely plain as she sucked on the sweet. He wondered if it made the words she  
was about to say any sweeter. He debated taking up the habit for himself.

The file Ben had presented just minutes before was placed to one side on her desk and she pulled out a separate one from her drawer. Ben eyed it warily.

"Now, normal procedure of course." She stated as she pulled out a sheaf of papers. Ben sighed and picked up the pen that was led on the desk beside the document for his use. He read the first paragraph, the same as always, just to ensure the text was  
what he was expecting. His eyes stopped further down the page on a particular subsection that he remembered reading way back after his first assignment in the hospital in Darwin;

(4)For the purposes of subsection (3) above a disclosure is damaging if—

(a)it causes damage to the work of, or of any part of, the security and intelligence services; or

Ben glared at the clause that would prevent him from ever discussing anything about the assignment, but more than that, was the fact that that particular sub point was aimed at one thing. Or rather, one person.

Ben scribbled his signature roughly at the end of the 32 page document, he pushed it back across the desk with some vehemence and a light scowl that was directed at the desk. Mrs Jones picked it up and tucked it back into the file, she leant forwards  
and Ben looked up to see her watching him carefully. Her eyes weren't soft, but there was more in them than Ben had seen before and she took a deep breath.

"I know, Agent Daniels, that you have found the last week particularly difficult. The post evaluation report was enough to confirm that. As such you are to present yourself to Doctor Huhne for weekly sessions until deemed fit for the field."

"I am fit for field work." He stated calmly in response. Mrs Jones leant her elbows on the desk and shook her head.

"Not from what we can see. You will be a liability to not only to yourself, but also to the establishment if we allowed you to be active." She explained calmly, there was no hint of emotion to her voice and that hint of something that had been in her  
eyes disappeared. Ben gritted his teeth and glared at the desk, "We were concerned, not only about you, but also of that of your old unit with the circumstances regarding Croatia. They also have been passed for a full assessment before being admitted  
to the field. Of course we expected some form of backlash regarding Agent Rider's change in status, but there is no reason you shouldn't be fit for field work within the month if you attend the sessions and work with Huhne in a complimentary manner."

Ben looked up at the woman, and firmly pushed aside the feeling he was being patronised as he thought the phrasing over.

"Change in status?" Ben asked after a brief pause, for a minute Mrs Jones looked as though she wasn't going to answer. The pause was a long one, and Ben waited silently, willing her to just tell him which of the two abbreviations they had decided to apply  
to Alex.

"We have deemed it necessary to list him as KIA." Ben felt his heart drop, it was the worst of the two and he took a deep breath.

"Did you recover the body?"

"No, neither Rider nor that of Private Stevens. However after careful consideration and both reports being analysed, it was the most fitting." She confirmed, Ben looked up at her with a blank face.

"What about his family?" Ben asked simply. He caught the flicker of regret pass over Mrs Jones face before she and got to her feet, pulling another peppermint from her pocket in the process.

"That is none of your concern, Agent Daniels." She voiced in a clipped tone, Ben watched as she placed the sweet in her mouth and he wondered if it was possible to overdose on them. "There will be a private ceremony held on Saturday. If you feel your  
presence is required you can obtain the details from Gloria."

Ben stood, and shook the hand when it was offered. Even though he wanted nothing more than to push it away and he walked from the office with his face firmly set into an impassive expression. When he stopped at the desk and absentmindedly asked for the  
details, his mind was at home thinking of the gift he had received from his grandmother when he had been accepted into the SAS. She had joked he might need it one day, Ben wondered if the woman was a clairvoyant. That original bottle had long since  
gone, he'd replaced it of course and its successor was nestled at the back of one of his kitchen cupboards. That bottle was the only thing he focused on as he started the long walk out of the "bank".

* * *

Ben walked into his lounge placing the bottle of liquor and half full glass on the coffee table as he dropped himself onto the cream leather sofa. He picked up the remote and flicked on the TV, he watched for a second as the news jingle played,

" _A three vehicle accident on the A3217 early this morning caused havoc for commuters until afternoon today. Investigation is still underway, but the initial report shows a 125cc motor bike was the cause as it swerved dangerously into the path of an oncoming freight hauler. The driver, whose name isn't going to be released to the press by request of the family, is currently in a life threatening condition at a local hospital. All other- "_

Ben sighed, not wanting to hear any more bad news and flicked through the channels until he came to stop on some midday infomercial. A young woman was strutting across the screen, advertising a piece of exercise equipment that she had probably never used  
as being "the only solution to all those problems."

Ben rolled his eyes and picked up the glass from the table, he swirled the liquid around carefully and flicked the TV onto mute. It was only on out of a force of habit anyway; he took a sip of the searing liquid and dropped his head back onto the sofa  
with a sigh.

He was tired, a week's worth of minimal sleep was pulling at his eyelids, almost burning and he shut them gently. He pointedly ignored the thoughts that were pushing at the edges of his mind, trying to think of something, anything that he could do to  
occupy himself for the time being. To mull over the thoughts of his meeting with Jones would only serve to strengthen the restless sleep he had to look forward to that evening.

His mobile sounded through the silent room, and he grabbed it from its perch on the edge of the sofa. Pulling up the text message, he read it before clicking delete and placing it back beside him. It would be the first of many he would receive from Snake,  
if he was honest he was surprised it had taken this long.

The unit drink he had attended faithfully whenever he wasn't working, had come and gone this week without his presence. The only proof it had ever occurred at all was a text message, not from Snake as he would have thought it would have been, but from  
Eagle. It was still in his inbox un-replied to.

It was strange, Ben mused, there was once a time when they were like brothers, but like so many other things in life it had slipped away. It had been one of many things that the course of time and choice had taken, and while he wasn't wholly responsible  
for the chasm of difference that was there now, he wasn't blameless either.

Ben raised the glass to his lips and a loud knock on the front door made him stop. He looked at the clock that was on the mantel of the fireplace. It was early afternoon, he wasn't expecting anyone and he would normally have been at work. There was another  
knock, this time quieter but no less insistent and he kept the cool glass in his hand as he walked out into the hall. His mind had fixated on the unknown visitor as a form of distraction and Ben encouraged it, speculating in his mind who it could  
be as he pulled open the door with a distracted hand.

Ben stared at the man on the doorstep, his mind freezing for a split second. Eagle seemed to understand though and he held up a bottle of vodka with a grim smile. There were no words exchanged, but Ben stood aside as the soldier walked in, making his  
way through to the kitchen as Ben shut the door.

He returned to the lounge and retook his seat on the sofa, Eagle walked into the room with a glass in his hand and flopped into the armchair to his right. Ben saw the man look at the TV with a faintly bemused expression as a different woman silently talked  
about some miracle face care product before the sound of liquid being poured into a glass alerted him that Eagle had a fairly healthy measure of his own liquor in his hand.

For a long time, neither of them said anything. They didn't really need to, this was enough, the semi-amicable silence, and it wasn't until Eagle had poured himself a second glass that he spoke.

"There's something you're not telling us." Eagle stated as he looked thoughtfully at his own drink.

"There's a lot I don't tell you."

"About this, I mean." Eagle clarified, Ben looked over to him, "Something important."

Ben stopped for a second, what was there to tell? Before not a lot was left unsaid between the four of them, there were very few topics they didn't broach head on, including assignments. Now though, it was different and not only because of the restrictions  
of the OSA either. He'd tried, after the first of his "permanent" assignments to approach his old unit with his concerns, they'd never materialised.

"There's a lot of stuff I _can't_ tell you." Ben replied slowly. Eagle looked at him with a frown and shrugged.

"Then tell me what you can." Eagle replied calmly as he reclined back in his seat. "You never drink spirits unless something seriously fucked up has happened. So what is it? The notification?"

Ben flicked his eyes to the red haired man. "You got that too?"

"We got Cougar's this morning. I'm assuming Cub is the same." Eagle replied calmly, Ben watched him take a drink from his glass and it was only because of experience he saw a slight shake to the man's hand. It was the only sign that belied the placid  
exterior Eagle was managing to hold.

"KIA." Ben confirmed, Eagle's face turned uncharacteristically grave, "He's got a service on Saturday."

"Can I go?" Eagle asked quickly. Ben nodded slowly as he looked at his ex-teammate. He hadn't been expecting any one of them to want to participate. Especially considering it was Cub, but Ben felt the small spike of gratitude towards Eagle all the same.  
There was a grim laugh, and Ben looked up.

"You didn't think I was that heartless did you?" Eagle asked. Ben frowned and shook his head slowly,

"No. I just-"

"Thought I'd be short-sighted and let anger cloud my rather deranged sense of morality?" Eagle offered, Ben let out a huff of laughter so sardonic it felt raw at the back of his throat. He chased it away by finishing the whiskey in his hand. "Did you  
work with him?"

Ben nodded simply, keeping his eyes on the floor, Eagle sighed and placed his glass on the table.

"Why didn't you just say?"

"What was I supposed to say Derek?" Ben asked as he downed the last of his drink, "Firstly, I signed the OSA and secondly I didn't fancy being on the receiving end of Wolf's fist."

"Luke is a fucking idiot who can't see beyond the end of his own nose at times." Eagle said with a scowl. Ben looked up when he heard the anger behind the words and he shook his head slowly as he leant back on the sofa and rubbed his eyes.

"We shouldn't be like this."

He looked to Eagle who shrugged in response with a clearly unconcerned expression. "Choice and Consequence."

Ben nodded and pulled his head up off the back of the sofa, rubbing at tired eyes. He heard the two glasses being refilled and picked his up with a grateful smile towards Eagle, the red haired man took a drink before speaking again.

"You and Cub." Eagle said, Ben tensed and looked over with a raised eyebrow, "You two were close?"

"We were alright I guess as far as working together goes."

"Did you enjoy working with him? Like you did with us?" Eagle asked curiously. Ben frowned and took a second to question that thought.

He wasn't going to lie and say they knew each other inside out, the first time, it was outright diabolical. Alex hadn't said a word to him, and Ben returned the favour. It was the second assignment, where Alex had managed to get a bullet graze to his  
ankle and rather than ask for help, hobbled out of his cover that Ben realised not talking wasn't as option. It would get one or both of them killed. It was after that, that the few words they said between them were vague, non-descript and purely  
applicable to their current situation where he'd started to see Alex's wit and humour in dire situations and quiet professional qualities outside of them. It wasn't much, but it was something and Ben had given up protesting with Jones' eventually,  
instead focussing on the anticipation he would get from being involved in something big. The guilt never faded completely, Ben realised, but it was instead blurred a little in the company of the young spy. Now though, his own misdoings in the entire  
situation were obvious and that guilt returned tenfold when Wolf had given the order to pull out. Ben sighed and looked to Eagle who was watching him with an expectant face.

"It's complicated. I'd rather I never _had_ to work with him." Ben admitted. Eagle nodded thoughtfully and Ben could feel the man's eyes on him, watching him as he downed the third of a glass of whiskey with a dry hiss after. Ben placed the glass  
down and leant back against the sofa once again, turning his head to look at Eagle.

"I got something on my face?" Ben asked, with false enthusiasm. Eagle's eye narrowed and he shook his head slowly.

"You've changed, Ben."

Ben didn't know how to respond to that, so he poured himself another measure of the thought numbing liquid into his glass and they descended into silence. Eagle refilled his glass a second later, and he looked to Ben, holding it up in silent toast and  
as a pair they both drank them in one go.

Ben smiled slightly as Eagle's face contorted from the acrid taste of vodka, the semi-tense atmosphere dissipating as quickly as their sober minds as they worked through their bottles.

* * *

 _Darkness._

 _Not stifling, and not comforting anymore. It was just black. Aware but not awake._

 _Odd._

 _The cold was clawing its way back again, this time starting from the abdomen._

 _Noises._

 _The beeping, still consistent, still unrecognisable. The voices, one familiar, one not._

" _We need to move." The familiar one, sly, conniving, greedy._

" _We have orders." A reply, it was unsure, almost scared._

" _They get what they pay for, outside that, how we proceed is our call." Greedy._

" _Yes, sir," Hesitant, unbelieving, untrusting._

" _Tonight." Urgency bordering on desperation._

" _Immediately, Sir."_

 _Tiredness._

 _Not wanting to dwell in a sightless mind, slipping back into that warmth and comfort of nothingness, revelling in not having to form a coherent thought in a dark world._

* * *

Ben pulled the car up to the gates of Brompton cemetery on the Saturday morning. He rolled his window down as the guard stood by the closed gates walked over with a stern expression. Ben glanced at Eagle and the red haired man rolled his eyes.

"Two guesses who he works for." Eagle muttered, Ben turned when the man ducked by the side of the car.

"Cemetery's closed." The man stated. Ben just pulled his access card from the glove compartment and handed it over without a word. The guard took it, and swiped it down the side of a handheld device.

"First left. Have a good day." The guard stated with a face that truly wished them anything but. Ben waited while the gates were opened and Eagle shook his head slowly.

"We're at a cemetery and he wishes us a good day?" Eagle asked once Ben had driven through the gates. Ben just shot the man a tense smile and pulled the car into one of the parking bays near the front of the church. There were few cars parked, it was  
hardly surprising. Ben was pretty sure not many people would be aware of the real reason for this ceremony, he saw the shaded out black car pull up directly in front of the church and watched as Mrs Jones climbed out. She was dressed in a black suit,  
Ben couldn't help wondering if she had bought one especially or if it was just her normal office attire and she walked into the church with an escort of two men that Ben vaguely recognised.

"Was that- " Eagle asked quietly, Ben nodded with a sigh. He felt a hand rest on his shoulder and glanced at Eagle who had an unusually sombre look on his face. "Come on Ben, for Cub yeah?"

Ben climbed out of the car, pulling his jacket down after pushing the door closed he looked over at Eagle. If their purpose here wasn't so serious, he would have laughed. The soldier wasn't the sort to be able to wear clothes so formal, and he knew it  
as he shifted uncomfortably adjusting his shoulders under the stiff jacket.

They walked together towards the doors and Ben recognised one of the agents that gestured them inside, the firearms they were carrying were visible to the trained eye and he noticed Eagle eying the area sceptically. They walked down the hallway that had  
been indicated, Eagle leaned in.

"They're armed?"

"Can't be too careful." Ben shrugged. Eagle dulled into silence beside him and the pair entered a small room off the corridor. There were only five other occupants, Ben only knew one of them. Mrs Jones turned with a stoic face and he pointedly ignored  
her. The others, Ben assumed were people from outside of the system, he wondered in the back of his mind exactly what story had been come up with to cover this over.

The pair took seats two rows from the front and Ben watched as the two youngest occupants of the room were whispering between themselves. One, the girl, Ben placed at about 18, she had long black hair that was tied into a neat ponytail and she was seemingly  
talking to another younger member of the room. A boy, around the same age with messy black hair and blue eyes was gesturing desperately at her with an animated look on his face.

Ben wondered if they were related, the similarities were definitely there and it appeared they were arguing, and combined with the two adults who were sat watching the picture located at the front of the room, Ben wondered if they were Alex's family.

The fleeting looks Ben saw from the male adult towards Mrs Jones were certainly venomous enough to be so. The woman was pointedly ignoring them of course, and was sat with a straight back and watchful eyes directed towards the front of the room.

The boy sat at the front stood up with a frown, he said something that Ben didn't catch as he shook his head. His face hardened when there was a whispered retort from the girl and the boy stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him as he left.

"Well, that was dramatic." Eagle muttered as he turned to look at the back. Ben shook his head slightly before he felt a fist thump his arm. He turned his head to see Eagle's head was still turned towards the door and Ben stared as Wolf and Snake eased  
themselves into seats at the back of the room.

"What are they doing here?" Eagle asked quietly, Ben shrugged and turned his eyes back to the front as the priest entered from a side door. Eagle slowly turned away from the two other soldiers and Ben stared determinedly at the front, completely ignoring  
the eyes he could feel burning into his back.

* * *

Ben stood as the ceremony drew to a close after the four people seated at the front had each paid their respects through quiet words and left the room. Ben looked at the photo that was laid out at the front, Alex was smiling back at him looking like an  
everyday teenager with the Golden Gate bridge in the background. He thought about how different it was to see Alex in his natural environment, even if it was just a picture.

Ben felt a tug on his sleeve and Eagle gave him a small smile before they started the walk towards the door. He spotted Wolf and Snake stood by the door, involved in a hushed conversation and Ben nudged Eagle. The red haired man looked around with a questioning  
look,

"I'll catch you up." Ben said quietly. Eagle looked to the door and nodded quickly,

"Alright. Meet you at the car."

Ben smiled as he walked off, and spoke in quiet tones to the other two. Wolf looked over and their eyes locked for a second and Ben thought he caught a flicker of regret in the man's eyes before the threesome left the room. He sat back down in one of  
the chairs and looked at the picture once again before resting his elbows on his knees and dropping his head into his hands.

"Why didn't you just listen?"

The room was of course silent in its response.

" _Don't look at me like that." Alex muttered as Ben levelled a glare at him. A frown was on his face as he twisted his arm at an almost unnatural angle, trying to perform an escape act from the ropes that they were tied by, "Getting caught is half the fun."_

" _We'd be home already if you'd have just listened to what I said." Ben responded as he leant his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. He felt a hand touch his skin just seconds later and looked around to see Alex crouched beside him with his hands free, untying Ben's own ropes. The blonde looked up with a smirk._

" _And deprive you of my awesome company?"_

Ben swallowed heavily and took a deep breath as he massaged his temples gently. That was one of many times things had gone wrong, and one of many times they had managed to get out of it relatively unscathed.

It was sadistic irony really, that someone who, by all counts, should never have been in the situation was more often than not the one who managed to squirm out of a tight spot.

Ben looked up at the picture one last time before he walked out of the room, he was in a mind-set of his own as he walked back through the hallway. His thoughts were occupied by musings and memories so jumbled they didn't really make all that much sense.  
He looked up when he heard voices in front of him to see the young woman and man talking animatedly, tucked into a corner at the end of the hall. Ben stopped as the woman swiped at his face and there was a resounding crack of skin on skin contact,  
Ben lowered his gaze a took a hesitant step forwards deigning to leave them too it.

"Tell me the truth Tom!"

"I am." The man, who Ben assumed was called Tom yelled, his face was red and Ben could almost see the imprint of the woman's hand.

"You're not. There was something wrong with him."

"Sab. It. Was. An. Accident." Tom stated in a dull voice. Ben got the impression this wasn't a new conversation and he looked up discreetly. Tom was playing with the sleeve of his jacket with his fingertips and breaking eye contact. The woman, Sab as  
he'd heard, was shaking her head furiously. "They happen."

"Not to Alex they don't." She insisted, Ben saw Tom take a deep breath and turn to walk away. The woman just looked as his back as he walked in the opposite direction to Ben.

"Please, Tom. If you know anything, just tell me."

"Sabina, I know it's hard. But there was nothing going on, I saw him the night before and he was fine." Tom responded, Ben felt himself startle at the statement. There was no way he could have, that assignment was 9 days ago,

"But-"

"You're upset. I can understand that, but don't throw everything away because of it." Tom said gently. Sab had taken a step towards him and Tom pulled her into a hug, Ben diverted his eyes and walked as fast as possible past the pair who were busy whispering  
what Ben could only assume were comforting words between them.

He kept up his pace until he exited the building, the sky was clear and the fresh air replaced the musty smell that always seemed to occupy churches. He walked hastily towards his car and stopped when he saw the three soldiers still talking between themselves.  
Snake was the one to catch sight of him and wave him over, Ben walked over slowly. Trying to forget exactly what he had seen, it felt as though he had intruded on a personal moment that had only served to confuse him more and he leant against the  
bonnet of his car when he reached it.

There was a drawn out silence between the four of them and Ben pointedly refused to look at Wolf. It was a childish notion, but some things really were best left alone at times. Unfortunately, the term "all brawn no brains" clearly applied with Wolf in  
that moment.

"That his family?" Wolf asked, looking over at the two young adults that were leaving the church, Ben looked over and shrugged.

"Maybe."

"They got to be, there was no one else there." Wolf stated, Ben looked around and took a deep breath.

"I don't know, Wolf. We never spoke about it."

"You just worked together and never found anything out about him?" Wolf asked gruffly, his face was set and Ben knew a snipe when he heard one. He pushed himself away from the car and walked around to the driver's door without answering.

"Ben," Snake said quietly, the dark haired man looked at Snake with a raised eyebrow and the medic hesitated, "What he means is-"

"I know what he means." Ben replied in a dull voice, "You've got a problem with the fact I worked with Cub. Fine. It was out of my hands."

"You should have refused." Wolf stated simply. Ben looked directly at Eagle and noticed the man had gone red, with his fists clenched at his side.

"You getting in?"

Eagle nodded tensely and Ben climbed into the car slamming the door closed after him. The red head turned back to the two soldiers. He glared at Wolf.

"You are in the same position as him. He lost his partner, you lost one of your unit." Eagle hissed, Wolf stared back at him with grey eyes and shook his head firmly.

"He should have said no."

"Orders are orders Wolf, you follow them just as much as he has too."

"Well, I hope he's proud of them." Wolf muttered, Eagle took an angry step forwards and Snake placed a hand on his chest gently, still trying to play the peacemaker. It was only out of respect that Eagle didn't push it away, instead he lifted his eyes  
to look at Wolf with a scowl.

"Hypocrite." Eagle stated in a low tone as he walked towards the car and yanked the door open. Ben looked at the red haired man as he stopped, "He wasn't the one who gave the order to pull out, Luke. Remember that."

Ben spared the two remaining soldiers one last look as Eagle pulled his door closed before he pulled away from them and started the journey back home.

* * *

Ben stared at the computer screen in front of him. He was sat at his desk, a cup of coffee to one side of him attempting to concentrate on a report that had been filtered through for his review. It wasn't working, and the words seemed to be shifting into  
each other as he placed his hand around the mug. He glanced at the bottle to the other side and tipped some into the cup with the coffee to take the edge off his overly active brain, before placing the mug with the others that occupied that corner  
of the desk.

Ben tapped a finger against the buttons on the mouse, creating an out of rhythm tune as he tried once again to concentrate on the font in front of him. He heard the door downstairs close and turned his chair, listening carefully for the sounds of whoever  
had just walked in. There was only one other person with a key.

Ben wondered if Eagle had stolen it again.

He stood with a sigh, one that was this time grateful for having an excuse to leave the damn paperwork he was being lumped with and made for the top of the stairs. He heard voices from downstairs as he walked down the first couple of steps.

"You said he was coping."

"He is." Eagle's voice returned, Ben heard the sound of a bag rustling, "He's just in a bit of a slump."

There was a clang of glass on glass and Ben jogged down the remaining stairs and stopped in the lounge of the doorway, to see Snake holding four beer bottles in his hand. The Scottish man dropped them into the bag Eagle was holding with a frown.

"This isn't a slump Derek. This is Ben we're talking about. He's the tidiest person we know."

"Uh, Quinn?" Eagle said as he caught sight of Ben in the doorway. Snake just shook his head, and picked up the takeaway container Ben had left on the table with a scrunched up nose.

"Seriously, I asked you to keep an eye on him and let me know if it got out of hand-"

"Quinn!" Eagle snapped, giving Ben a sheepish look. The Scottish man straightened up with a frown, he turned to the door when he saw Eagle staring at Ben.

"I'm 21, not three." Ben muttered, Snake turned red and Ben sighed as he walked in and held out his hand to Eagle. "The bag."

The red head passed it over with an apologetic look and Ben shrugged it off as he started to pick up the rest of the rubbish that had been left around in the three weeks since the remembrance ceremony. Ben kept his eyes on his task, but noticed as Eagle  
turned and walked into the kitchen after picking up some of the dirty coffee cups that had been left on the table. He heard running water a second later and went back to his task, firmly ignoring the eyes of Snake that were on his back.

"Ben?" Snake asked, Ben took a silent breath and straightened up, the bag hanging at his side he gave the blonde a questioning look. Snake didn't pick up on it.

"What Quinn?" He asked, he sounded tired and he refrained from rubbing his eyes that stung from the serious lack of sleep over the last month.

"You didn't come out for drinks last night."

"I didn't fancy it."

"Pushing us away will do nothing." Snake stated, Ben frowned and shook his head,

"I've just had a lot on."

"What, desk work?" Snake countered with a sceptical look, "Derek told me."

Ben looked down at the floor and took a deep breath. He wasn't angry, or disappointed. He knew that he himself had been known to turn to Snake at times, especially when he was in the need for a concerned ear. He felt a slight pang as he remembered it  
had been a long while since he'd taken up that opportunity, or a long time since he had been _able_ to.

"I know what happened in Croatia was bad, it would do you good to talk about it." Snake pushed gently. Ben could sense the hint of desperation under the words without even having to meet the Scottish man's eyes. He didn't answer though and instead picked  
up an empty plastic bottle that had almost rolled under the sofa.

"We all need to talk about this." Snake admitted, Ben looked at him with a raised eyebrow as he continued, "We've been close for too long for something like this, something we all went through, to rip it apart."

Ben smirked and shook his head slowly, "Get real, Quinn."

"Excuse me?"

"I said get real. Things haven't been right since I left the unit." Ben said in a blunt tone. He surprised himself by how resolute he sounded. "Stop kidding yourself that everything is the same as it once was."

"But they weren't like this." Snake insisted, he was floundering against the normal placid words he would throw into a conflict when he was confronted head on.

"Yeah they were, this is just highlighting what should have been obvious." Ben countered calmly, Snake turned a glare to the floor and Ben sighed, "I don't have a problem with you."

"But with Luke?" Ben didn't reply, instead he just picked up another takeaway packet from the arm of the sofa, last night's Chinese by the looks of the less than half eaten food. Snake sighed from behind him, "He feels really bad, Ben. I think if you  
just-"

Ben straightened up, hastily hiding the glare and shaking his head firmly. "Not happening, Quinn."

"But-"

"If you came here to push for a reconciliation because he is too stubborn, then I think it's best if you left." Ben replied calmly. He silently complimented himself on keeping his composure, and Snake looked to hesitate for a second. The Scottish man  
opened his mouth to say something else, before closing it again and walking out of the room. Ben stood in place as the front door clicked closed and the stab of guilt was undeniable. He sighed and turned towards the door that led into the kitchen.

"You can come out now Derek." Ben said to seemingly nothing. There was a brief pause before Eagle stepped out from behind the doorframe with a sheepish look.

"Sorry."

Ben waved him off and sat down on the sofa with a sigh, he couldn't rightly be angry. He'd done more than his fair share of eavesdropping after all. Eagle walked over and sat down beside him with a despondent look on his face.

"You're disappointed?" Ben asked quietly, Eagle shook his head.

"Not really. I kind of expected it. Although, I had hoped maybe Quinn would have worked his magic."

Ben let out a small huff of laughter and glanced at the red haired man, "You've forgiven him then?"

"Wolf?" Eagle asked, Ben nodded. "Not completely. But I have to work with him and it's not like Quinn's done anything wrong, he's just trying to make the best of a bad situation."

Ben looked at the wall opposite him with a frown, for all his natural hype and strange sense of humour, Eagle could, at times, be highly sensible. Ben sighed and leant his head back as he remembered back to a time when that had been one of the most surprising  
things he had experienced. It seemed like centuries ago.

"You ever reckon things will be the same?"

"I don't know. A lot can change in two years." Eagle replied with a shrug, "All I know, is living with Wolf is going to be the end of me if he doesn't stop being a grumpy asshole."

"Do you think I should at least try to make an effort?"

It was a shot in the dark, and a moment of helplessness that made him ask. Eagle didn't seem surprised that he had.

"It's your call," Eagle responded, "Most of it is between you and Luke. But I could play middle man if you needed it."

Ben sat in silence for a few minutes, and it was only the lingering sense of guilt in his stomach from when Snake had walked out of the door that made him look over to Eagle. The red haired man hid his look of hope quickly, and Ben realised it was for  
his benefit, Eagle didn't want to push him either way, but he was obviously missing the old camaraderie just as much as himself. Ben rubbed his eyes slowly and took a deep breath.

"I suppose we could do drinks here this weekend."

* * *

 _Steady breaths._

 _Steady monotonous beeps._

 _A small finger twitch on top of the covers._

 _The cold spreading from the tips of toes, up well formed calf's and thighs and slowly creeping tendrils of ice spreading across a well toned torso._

 _Erratic eye movements behind closed eyelids, as light thoughts tugged at the side of a sightless mind._

 _One hand clenching into a fist as the first un-drugged breath was pulled though dry, chapped lips._

 _A low groan as each sound became more acute. Each second that passed making the darkness that was the perfect solitude recede a little more._

 _It becomes less calming, as a slow heartbeat starts to speed up. The beeping moves out of rhythm._

 _Another stuttering breath, followed by a heavy swallow trying to wet a throat as dry as a desert, the simple act burning like fire._

 _A grimace through clenched eyelids as they grasp for that darkness that was a sanctuary against_ this _._

 _Eventually serious brown eyes flicker open and stare dully up at the grey, mould encrusted ceiling. Two sentences tugging at the corner of a hazy mind._

" _They left you alone little boy."_

" _Go to hell."_


	3. Chapter 3

**Warnings:** Language. Violence. Light Gore.

 **Disclaimer:** This is a work of FanFiction using characters from the Alex Rider series, intellectual property and copyright of Anthony Horowitz.

* * *

Alex stared up at the ceiling of the room he was occupying, he didn't know how long he had been awake, nor had he had any indication of company within his tiny room. The bunk he was led on was uncomfortable, the heart monitor that he was rigged up to casting a steady beat once again into the room darkened by the lack of lighting. The cannula inserted into the back of his hand itched, he wanted to remove it and he'd tried after first waking. It was only through harsh breaths and much protestation from his muscles he had relented to the irritating presence.

Trying to fight off long term anaesthesia obviously wasn't one of his strengths.

His muscles still felt weak, his eyes were still threatening to close and it was out of sheer persistence that they hadn't, as he had tried to piece together some form of coherency from his jumbled thoughts. He didn't really have a lot to go on, aside from knowing the events of the failed assignment and the pain just before he had passed out, be it from blood loss or a dart he didn't know.

As it was, since the time of waking he had neither been able to figure out his current location, gather enough information to know what he was dealing with or work out some kind of plan to get out. All in all he decided, the time had been rather unproductive.

Nothing but the growing sense of awareness in his muscles had accompanied him in the time of consciousness, and while he may have been glad to feel that yes, he still had ten toes, eight fingers and two thumbs, he was growing tired of just moving them.

He attempted again to move his leg, this time he managed to lift it, at least part way off the bed and the cold he was feeling on his chest that should have been chilling was welcome. He took a deep breath as he attempted to pull his shoulders forwards and move into a sitting position, muscles that he had long forgotten seemed to scream at him, piercing like hot pokers as they pulled into place as he sat up, but it was the strange feeling of constriction around his chest that he concentrated on.

Alex managed to ease his elbows under his back and he leant on them as he shut his eyes and took deep breaths against the tension and the surprising amount of pain the movement had caused. As he opened his eyes he saw the edging of white peeking above the covers, and he kicked one of his legs out, causing the cover to fall off the bunk he was on. He stared at the bandage that was wrapped around his whole torso with a confused look.

He remembered the pain in that moment, the intense burning and the memory of grasping at his skin before he fell flashed into his mind, he remembered the hand being red when he pulled it away.

"Blood loss then." Alex muttered to himself as he rested his hand over the top of the bandage with a thoughtful expression. It still made no sense. Why shoot him then fix him up again? Unless he was in friendly territory. He squashed that thought immediately.

It hadn't happened before it wasn't likely too now.

The strip light on the ceiling flickered on with no warning and Alex squinted as the clinical white light hit his eyes. He blinked rapidly to try to clear them as he heard a door opening, managing so within a few seconds to see a short figure stood in the doorway. He held his breath for a second, the frame was similar to Wolf's.

Was he being proven wrong? Maybe this one time, he was wrong.

It was the chuckle that dismissed that thought as the man walked towards him. As he came into the light Alex could see the figure he thought was similar to Wolf's was only so in height. The man's two chins jiggled as he walked and Alex shut his eyes and pushed his emotions into the box he constantly kept ready, presenting a dull and thoughtless front as the man stopped by his bedside. Alex could feel the man's dark, almost black eyes that were rimmed by gunmetal glasses before his face split into what Alex presumed was meant to be a grin. Alex thought it looked more like a twisted scowl.

"Glad to see you are awake, Alex." The man stated, his voice was gravely and a strong accent that Alex thought sounded French overlaid the pleasant words. Alex just watched him with a neutral expression as the man walked around to the cardiac unit and wrote a few words on his clipboard.

"You're not very talkative. That's out of character for you, or so I've heard. Maybe it's the pain. I can give you more sedatives?" the man offered. Alex grit his teeth together and shook his head.

"What do you want?" Alex asked sharply. His voice was rough and it hurt to talk, the movement felt like it scratched against the back of his throat. The man gave a dark chuckle and the hand holding the clipboard dropped to his side.

"So to the point. People have no manners these days." Alex raised a sarcastic eyebrow, "I'll start. I'm Doctor Ibrehim, I've been taking your care while you're here."

"Pleasure. I'm sure." Alex replied dryly, his lips curling at the sides in a patronising greeting. He noted the flicker of annoyance pass the man's features and he couldn't help the small smirk that appeared on his lips.

"I was warned about your famed sarcasm." Ibrehim stated in a dull tone. Alex just turned his eyes to the door at the foot of his bed. He wasn't going to partake in verbal sparring when his throat was raw, neither was he going to abide by pleasantries when they were, judging by the lock on the door and the keys on Ibrehim's belt, detaining him. The doctor gave another small chuckle and shook his head slightly, Alex turned to see his face light up at whatever thought had crossed his mind.

"Very well, as I'm sure you have guessed Alex, there is someone most desperate to meet you. I will let him know you are awake." Ibrehim stated as he walked towards the door. Alex watched his back, the large bald spot in the man's nest of grey hair glaring in the bright overhead light, before the door closed behind him and the room was once again cast into darkness. This time he heard the lock click following the man's departure and Alex slumped back onto the bunk, closing his eyes to allow them to adjust to the darkness.

When he reopened them, he stared at the ceiling, his mind seemingly muffled by the confines of the room and he eyed a patch of mould that was just visible on the ceiling from the green light of the cardiac unit. He shivered and rubbed his forearm gently, feeling goose-bumps under his fingertips he looked around each wall, seeing no windows and deduced he must be underground. Slowly, he pulled himself up and eased his legs over the side of the bunk.

His muscles protested each movement as he eased his weight down onto his feet with shaking arms. The baggy trousers, which were similar to prison garbs trembled against his legs and he gritted his teeth as he flexed his legs gently, trying to work some feeling back into them. Slowly he let go of his grip on the bunk and took a hesitant step, the back leg almost buckled as it took all his weight. But he persisted and eventually, he didn't know how long it took, he had completed a circuit of the small room, twisting the cannula wire around the drip stand it was attached too. The shaking in his legs seemed to subside with each slow step and he took the opportunity to asses any other injuries aside from the obvious bullet wound to his torso. He found a niggling pain on one side, but nothing completely unbearable so he followed the route back again, the wire untangling itself and he eased himself back onto the bunk. Laying down carefully, and closing his eyes he took a deep breath and willed himself back to sleep, knowing there wasn't a lot else he could do until he found out why he was being kept a healthy captive.

* * *

Alex's eyes snapped open as the heavy metal door banged back against the wall of his room. He jerked into an upright sitting position, cursing as the bandage around his abdomen tightened almost unbearably. There was a loud laugh as Alex blinked away the haze of pain and the light glare that lit up the room with the new arrival.

It wasn't Ibrehim, he was too tall and as the newcomer walked forward Alex took stock of the man's neatly trimmed blonde hair. He was around the same height as Alex, and seemed to have a relatively muscular frame, but it was the way he carried himself that was the most threatening. It was with an air of exuberance, and a definite amount of confidence that the man moved to his bedside. Alex shivered slightly, whether it was from the cold or the man's aura he didn't know but the stranger had picked up on it and flashed him a cold smile that revealed perfect teeth as he sat down on the chair in the corner of the room.

"You are not what I was expecting when I was told of Alex Rider." The man commented, he had a smooth voice, one that Alex could have imagined a politician using to placate rioting civilians. Alex couldn't help the tug of pride at the man's comment. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. My name, if you care for it, is Dimitri Prudek. The director of the company you and your little group decided to infiltrate."

"What do you want?" Alex asked, he was careful to control the tone and pitch in his voice. Even if it felt like a million years since he'd had a drink.

"In a word? You." Prudek responded with another smile. Alex' mask of indifference didn't change with the response.

"Me."

"Yes Alex. You see your name has become something of a menace in the underground after the business in Cairo with Scorpia. I suppose you became, for lack of a better word a _legend_ among criminal organisations." Prudek explained calmly, "In the unrest that followed new organisations sprang to light. I want mine to be the best. Therefore I require the best. I require you."

"No."

"Allow me to continue." Prudek stated in a tone that said he would regardless, Alex rolled his eyes. "I was most shocked when we received a piece of information from a contact stating there was an active agent within our midst. I was even more surprised to find out they were going to retrieve the agent that night. But, imagine my delight when I saw a young blonde operative run across my rooftop. I knew then that the legendary Alex Rider had been assigned to my organisation. It was certainly an ego boost, but I couldn't let you leave. Unfortunately, I was unable to get a message to my operatives to get them to merely detain you and not damage you. I am sorry for that by the way, but you see it actually worked out in our favour."

"How'd you figure that one out?" Alex asked with a sceptical look.

"Not in your favour of course. But most definitely in mine. My source within military intelligence has confirmed your status as MIA, they have already held a remembrance ceremony. So naturally, no one is looking for you."

Alex said nothing, but he felt as the last dregs of hope of an impromptu rescue left him and he took a deep breath. Prudek was right, it definitely didn't work in his favour. He settled himself with a glare towards the man.

"Still a no."

"I see." Prudek replied thoughtfully, Alex could see the twitch of his mouth that showed he was restraining some form of expression. "In that case I require one other thing from you. The name of the agent."

Alex didn't even need to consider the answer and he shook his head defiantly, "Not a hope in hell."

"That is a real shame." Prudek replied with a mock dismayed look. Alex scowled, "I didn't want it to come to this, but if I have to beat submission into you Alex, then I will. And if you die in the process? I will be the person famous for defeating the prodigy that is Alex Rider."

The conversation must have been monitored as the door to the room reopened without Prudek summoning anyone and two men appeared in the frame. Both were tall and wore military style haircuts, Prudek turned to them with a curious look as he stood up.

"Helmen, Soutt I want answers from him by tonight." Prudek ordered. Both men walked forwards almost simultaneously, with menacing looks and exchanging sinister smiles after they had spotted Alex sat on the bed.

"Bring him to my office when he relents, he can tell me himself." Prudek instructed as he walked from the room. Alex glared at the two men as they walked forwards, one pulling the canula from the back of his hand roughly, the plaster ripped from his skin and the small pinprick bled at the rough removal as his arms were grabbed and they dragged him from the room.

Alex watched his surroundings as they manhandled him out into a stone walled hallway without a word between them. It was only a short journey, and he felt his arms being wrenched above his head after they had entered another room. The metallic clanging above his head gave him a good enough idea of what was going to happen before the shackles snapped around his wrists. His body throbbed in pain and he hastily hid his grimace as the bandage tightened over the new wound, his skin stretching painfully from the unnatural position as he gained his footing against the floor.

He thanked his height for allowing him to do so. The two men stepped back and Alex lifted his head after a deep breath to glare at them. They were watching him with sadistic smiles,

"You scared boy? Want to go home to mother and father?" One offered with broken English, his lips moving over missing and rotted teeth.

"If it gets me away from those teeth of yours." Alex returned, it earned him a lashing backhander across his face and he spat out the blood that filled his mouth from the impact. Alex lifted his head as the pair exchanged quiet words and one turned and left the room. The second had escorted him to the door, closing it firmly after his comrade before turning to Alex with a seething look, he stepped forwards Alex looked down and glared at the floor.

"Let's see if we can get answers. Yes?"

Alex took a deep breath as he closed his eyes, drawing on that inner calm that had eluded him in situations so similar before.

They wouldn't break him. He wouldn't let it happen.

* * *

Alex had long stopped yelling out when the blows landed on him, his throat was raw, he was sagging in the restraints above his head. He had been fortunate, he knew that they could have used whips and fire and god knows what else, but that didn't stop the physical blows from _hurting_.

He breathed an involuntary sigh of relief when another blow didn't land immediately after the one before, and the only sound was a heavy footstep moving away from him. Slowly he creaked an eye open, to see a pair of boots directly in front of him. He lifted his head tiredly, the movement burnt like a thousand pokers searing into his skin but he finally managed to lift his head to see the one he had discovered was called Helmen stood in front of him.

"Done yet?" the man asked. Alex swallowed heavily and shook his head meekly. So far, he had managed to maintain his mental attitude to not relent. He knew it was angering the man. He knew it hurt more with each notch of emotion his defiance caused. He took a halting intake of breath when a hand grabbed his face and lifted it to look at his tormentors.

"Is it worth one name. Your life?" Helmen asked, Alex's mind which was hazy with pain, took a moment to process the backwards sentence. He said nothing, instead he asked himself the same question. All the defiance to not give in, to not relent, to remain faithful, was it worth this? His pain muddled mind was starting to think not.

"What is one death?" Helmen prompted. Alex stared at him for a second, feeling the absolute seething settle in his bloodstream against this man, against the way his mind was warping what would once have been a definite negative. Alex shut his eyes for one second, one death, what harm could it do?

He knew better than most. Ian's death. Jack's death. They were all just solitary events that would seem so inconsequential to anyone else.

Alex could taste the blood in his mouth from the hits he had taken to his face, and rather than reply to the man's taunts that had been constant throughout the beating he spat at his face. The deep crimson landing on the man's cheek, Helmen forced his head back, causing Alex to let it roll to a rest and he stared upwards, not wanting to move a muscle because it still fucking _hurt._

He saw the flash of silver in the bottom of his eyesight and all thought of not moving went out the window as Helmen held the small switchblade up in front of his face. He lashed out with his legs, desperate for anything to stop the man as he walked behind him. He felt the cold metal against his back and stilled when the point of the blade pushed gently against the base of his spine.

He shut his eyes, awaiting the piercing that could technically disable him permanently. Instead he felt as the blade moved up over his back in a slow sweeping motion and god – _it burnt_ . Alex took a deep breath as Helmen showed him his blood on the blade. Alex shut his eyes and tried desperately to find that inner calm that had drifted away a long time ago, he clung to its remains with everything as the move was performed again and he clenched his teeth together.

He didn't know how many times, he stopped counting after the second cut but he knew there was blood, he could feel it at the top of the trousers he was wearing. The once warm, but now freezing liquid was like ice against his skin that felt as though it was on fire. He craned his neck up when the door reopened and his eyes widened as he took in Soutt with a pan of liquid that was steaming.

He almost cried in relief when Helmen left his spot behind him and walked over. The two men exchanged short sentences in a language Alex didn't understand, but the gestures were more than enough to give away their intentions.

Helmen was holding the pan now, and the pair walked over. Alex felt as one of his hands was realised from the chains above his head and he sagged further towards the ground. A firm hand held him up as another grabbed his wrist.

Alex pulled against the grip with all he was worth, putting everything into it, every possible swear word left his mouth but nothing stopped Helmen offering the pan. Soutt guided his hand towards the scolding liquid that would cause his flesh to blister and burn and _hurt_ to his very core-

"Stop!" Alex yelled, the word being ripped through his damaged throat. His hand was held steady and Helmen looked at him. Alex hung his head with a heavy sigh, one of both relief and disappointment at being reduced to the desperate sound of his voice. The grip on his hand didn't remove itself, Soutt lowered his eye level and Alex gave him a meek glare. It was enough of a defiance for his hand to be moved closer to the scolding liquid. He yanked against it, feeling pure frustration pulling at his mind as the pan came closer, and hot tears stung at his eyes as he clenched them closed. He could feel the sweat gathering on his palm as his hand was again held out over the top of the boiling water. He could imagine how much pain it would cause and how his flesh would be charred and mangled after.

"I'll tell you." Alex yelled as loudly as he could, it came out as nothing more than a hoarse whisper to his ears, almost as if it was sounding through double plated glass and he wondered if this is what crazy felt like. The hand let go of his wrist and Alex hung by one arm from the chains on the ceiling, not particularly caring that it pulled so hard he was surprised his shoulder hadn't dislocated. The second chain was released and he slumped to the floor. Each bruise and cut making its presence known in a dull haze, but it seemed to have faded behind his self-disappointment at reaching his own limit.

After being grabbed, and not even trying to conceal the wince as rough hands irritated the bruises, he was walked out of the room by the two men. His eyes were almost unseeing as they escorted him into an ornate looking lift. Alex shut his eyes and took slow deep breaths trying desperately to pick up the pieces of his mind and form them back into place, trying desperately to figure out some way of getting out of giving the information without submitting himself to that again. The lift continued its upwards journey, dinging open to reveal a hall with bright lights and dark mahogany doors.

The hands returned back to their grips and numbly Alex walked in the route he was being directed. It was in the corner of his eye that he caught sight of a room full of computer through a glass wall. He altered his footsteps, causing him to stumble and he turned his head fully to look into what was effectively a laboratory on the other side, the pieces of equipment closest to the window illuminated by the light from the hall.

Helmen yanked him to his feet before he had a chance to get a good look, and Alex ducked his head to the floor once again, it was then he noticed the plush green carpet beneath his bare feet. He marked it as an odd thing, not something he had experienced in all his times as a captive anyway. Bare walls, non-descript rooms, computer equipment, even the occasional lab. But never what appeared to be a normal functional working environment like this.

He looked up when they stopped outside of a large door, and he glanced at the iron plate adorning it:

 _Dimitri Prudek,_

 _Managing Director_

 _Biosyn Technologies_

He stored the information somewhere in his muddled mind and he felt a hand shove his back forwards once the door had been opened. He failed to regain his own step and fell forwards, knees grazing against the carpeted floor of the room they had entered. Alex felt as he was picked up once again and he let himself go lax in the grip. His head hung forwards but his eyes were tilted upwards through his lashes, taking in the office. There was a large desk directly in front of the floor to ceiling window and beyond that lights that lit up the horizon. The sun was just setting, Alex realised and in the distance he could make out vague shapes of buildings.

The feeling of dread only intensified within him when he saw no obvious landmarks, and it mingled with the evenings events that had taken its toll both mentally and physically.

"Alex." The bedraggled blonde looked up at the man that was sat at the desk and Prudek beckoned him over. Alex felt the hands that were clamped on his arms drag him forwards towards the desk, he aimed a meek glare at Prudek. The man smiled and gestured to the window.

"The city is beautiful at sunset isn't it? I saw you looking."

Alex scowled and looked back over the view, ignoring the assessing eyes of Ibrehim who was stood beside the infuriating director. Prudek stood up and walked so he was stood next to Alex, he didn't turn his head to look at the man instead he had found an arch, located some distance away. It looked so familiar and yet it was like a distant memory just beyond his grasp. Dull eyes glanced over the surrounding area, only to draw no further conclusions and they drifted back to the arch.

Ibrehim had walked over, and circled him much like a predator would their prey, assessing him with a critical eye. Alex turned tired eyes to him and the doctor nodded curtly, Alex turned his eyes back out the window. At freedom.

"They did well." Ibrehim stated with a chuckle before he looked at Prudek, "I suggest fluids if you want him to be of any use beyond today."

Alex saw in the reflection as Prudek nodded, "If nothing else, he will make an interesting test subject."

Alex didn't bother to withhold the shudder at the thought, he was too tired but his eyes moved back to that damn arch. He still couldn't place it, and the thought was infuriating. Prudek moved in front of him, blocking his view of the landmark and Alex lifted his eyes wearily to look at the man.

"You thought about my earlier offer?" Prudek asked. Alex shook his head slowly, feeling the movement pull the muscles in his neck. "The name of the agent."

Alex hesitated, and remembered the absolute dread that had filled him in that room. He'd never undergone torture prior to this. He had no intention to relive the experience. Not when it could have been so much worse. The feeling of hopeless frustration and wanting so badly to not reveal the information they so desperately wanted, that they would go to any means to obtain. But he had his limits. He knew it and they had proven it. Pain was indeed a good persuader, especially when you had control of being able to stop it with just a simple act of speech.

"Alex? I can guarantee you Helmen can be a lot more persuasive." Prudek stated calmly, Alex swallowed heavily and stared at the floor. "Patriotism will get you nothing in the hands of these men."

Alex didn't believe in it anyway and the small defiance he felt at the man's words crept up again, he kept his gaze on the floor. He was caught once again in indecision, and as if the memory of pain wasn't enough he felt a fist pummel into his stomach from his left. He keeled over, taking a deep gasp for breath as he curled into the foetal position on the floor. He felt a surge of emotion, anger, regret, disappointment and he took a stuttered gasp for air as he clenched his eyes closed.

"The name, Alex?" Prudek urged, Alex opened his eyes that were lined with water from the impact over an already bruised chest and took another gasp of breath. He wouldn't be able to do it again, he knew he wouldn't. He made his mind up and whispered one name before allowing himself to embrace the darkness.

* * *

Alex awoke back in the room he was held originally. The heart monitor was still running to his side, but the cannula was nowhere in sight. He blinked owlishly up at the ceiling, the icy tendrils of dread doing nothing to make him feel any better at what exactly he had given up. The thought settled heavily in his stomach.

He didn't know how long he had been out for, nor how long he had led here simply staring up at the roof with a resolute gaze. He'd given up working some form of movement into his legs after walking around the room 13 times. He'd assessed he was relatively mobile, quite surprising considering the circumstances and the only part of his body that truly hurt, was his back.

Of course, that was only if you didn't include his pride. The defeat he had conceded to them tasted bitter against his tongue, as if the words themselves had settled as acid on his tongue. He'd broken, under nothing more than physical duress.

He remembered word's that had once been spoken through his uncle's mouth, that to show fear was to allow yourself to be prey. He had no doubt Ian would be disappointed if he could see him now. He had ducked out, pulled the curtains and given up in that instant.

It made him all the more determined not to let it happen again.

Alex blinked when the strip light was once again flicked on over his head. He was getting used to the rapid change in lighting, it had happened twice now. The first time he had kept himself still, keeping up the pre-tense that he had not come around. He had been surprised when he wasn't disturbed, he'd pried an eye open as the footsteps had moved away to see Ibrehim making his way back to the door. The man's footsteps were the ones walking over to him now.

Alex pushed himself upright slowly, he eyed Ibrehim warily as he walked over to the cardiac monitor and hung a bag up on the stand by its side. When the doctor turned back Alex just looked at him with a docile expression.

"You should choose to comply young Alex." Ibrehim stated, Alex just kept up his plain faced look through deadened eyes, "Mr Prudek has done a lot to keep you here. He had to pull out all the tricks to ensure your safety."

Alex could have made a comment about not having done very well in his current position. He didn't, he just turned his head to stare at the door. Ibrehim pulled a length of plastic tubing and an IV needle from his pocket, the plastic wrapper crinkled loudly as he unwrapped it. Alex withheld the flinch when the man's fingers touched his hand and the needle was inserted and turned dull eyes to look at him as Ibrehim stood again.

"As it is, a young boy who looks rather like yourself is no longer with us because of Prudek's determination." Ibrehim stated, Alex blinked as confusion added to the small amount of coherency in his mind. He swallowed heavily.

"What?"

Ibrehim turned to the bag he had hung and started to connect the plastic tubing, "You are a wanted child. It was a diversionary tactic until Prudek felt you were in a position to accept."

While the man was talking, Alex pulled the needle from the back of his hand, he'd recognised the fluid he was being connected to and had absolutely no intention of being sedated again. He concealed the needle in his right hand, curling fingers around it into a fist as he sat upright on the bed.

"What made him think I would?" Alex asked, he dropped his tone and knew the answer before Ibrehim spoke. The doctor turned to him with a grin that really didn't look friendly.

"Helmen can be very persuasive."

Alex stared down at the covers on the bunk, a brief memory of sacrifice he had given in the office assaulted him and he nodded mutely. Ibrehim took a step towards the bed.

"It would not do to add another enemy to your already extensive list- "

The man's words turned into a high pitched scream as Alex plunged the needle into the man's right eye. The pop Alex had been expecting was drowned out by the noise from the doctor's throat and Alex felt as the gelatinous liquid expelled and flowed over his hand and wrist. He noted absentmindedly it was cold, before pulling his left fist up and striking the man in the side of the neck in a manoeuvre he had learnt many years past with the SAS.

Ibrehim crumpled to the floor, as Alex eased himself off the bunk and crouching beside him. His hands worked quickly as they lifted the man's shirt and Alex pulled it on over his own head, before securing a grip under the heavy man's arms and dragging him up onto the bunk. Alex grimaced as the move pulled muscles he never knew he had, and he snatched the key card from the man's belt before covering him over with the rather meagre blanket.

Alex crossed to the door, sparing the man a quick glance before he made his way out of it and locking it after himself. He followed the vaguely remembered route towards the lift, searching for a set of stairs. He hesitated when he reached the double metal doors, it would announce his presence to whoever might be on the ground floor, he didn't even know what time it was or how many people were likely to be in the building.

He assumed he was lucky to have encountered nobody so far, because the upstairs looked more like a real working environment but from the looks of the hall he was in, it was rarely used. Hesitantly he reached a hand for the call button of the lift.

The doors slid open soundlessly, and he eased his way in quickly, scanning the room list on the wall. There was no listing for a basement level, his eyes stopped on the atrium level and he reached out for it, his finger hovered over it thoughtfully. It could be full of people.

However, if the place was indeed a working environment it would have a stairwell on the higher floors. One that should, if he remembered correctly from one of the legal notifications on his old home room school in America, be located near to the "common" form of travel between floors.

That, and the laboratories _did_ look interesting.

Alex jabbed the button for floor four, it was labelled as offices and research on the list and he waited as the numbers on the small LED monitor above the doors flicked through it's route. He pushed himself back against the wall of the lift when the number flicked between three and four, and the lift, as expected chimed out into the hall. He waited, listening for any noise before moving his head to look out of the opening. The hall was dim, in much the same circumstance it was when he had been brought here before and he slipped out of the lift quickly before the lift doors closed of their own accord.

Slowly Alex made his way down the hall, he kept his eyes on the door at the end of the hall that he had been led to before as he moved. From memory he vaguely remembered no other presence when they had escorted him here before, and it seemed to be a similar time. Prudek had made his first mistake, one many people had made before.

Prudek had underestimated him, expected him not to notice all the small factors that were now helping him make his way to the room that held the answers to his curiosity. Or maybe he just hadn't expected him to act on that curiosity.

Alex crouched by the laboratory door, and took one final look both ways down the hall before swiping the key card he had taken from Ibrehim over the panel to the side of the glass door. The small panel light flickered to green and he eased his way into the darkened room quickly, easing the door closed behind him.

He moved quickly over to one of the few monitors that were still lit in the darkened room, glancing at various pieces of laboratory equipment as he passed. He flicked the mouse with a wary hand as his eyes watched the plate glass wall keeping himself aware of any movement outside. He turned back when the screen turned a brighter colour as it switched from screensaver to a password log on screen. He sighed and turned away. He wasn't a hacker, and having only had minimal tuition while on Malagosto he knew it would be pointless to attempt it.

His eyes caught on a separate table top, this one towards the back of the room and he walked over cautiously, looking at the hypodermic syringes that were laid out on the table and what looked like laboratory slides stood upright in a tray to one side. He picked one up and held it up to the dull light coming from the exterior window with a frown. He couldn't see anything on the glass and he placed it back with a thoughtful look at the microscopes.

The door to the room gave a light click and Alex snapped his head around to see Prudek's figure pushing through the opening. He darted to the corner of the room and dropped into a crouch, holding his breath and mentally cursing for allowing himself to be distracted as the man walked in and flicked on one of the computer screens in the opposite corner. Alex watched as a password was typed, the man's fingers moving too quickly over the keyboard to catch it, and a complicated document was opened within a few short clicks of the mouse. Prudek took a second to scroll through the information and Alex peered forwards to try to garner some form of knowledge of what he was looking at.

It didn't matter even if he could see it, he didn't understand the complex equations mounted on the screen.

Prudek opened another window, it looked like an instant messenger and typed a short message before leaning back in his chair and steeping his fingers in front of him. He awaited a response that was shorter than his original message and lifted the handset from the phone cradle to one side of the computer. Alex watched as he dialled a long number, must have been an international dial, and held the phone loosely to his ear.

Alex switched his position while the man was distracted to the next desk along so he was a little closer, both so he could listen and make a move quickly if he needed to. Although, in his state he would rather just wait it out. Prudek opened another window on the computer and laid the phone down on the side as he typed in another passcode, the piercing dial tone cut into the air from the tinny phone speaker.

"Prudek." The voice growled, the blonde man grabbed the handset, pushing a button and switching it off speaker as he clicked on another document on the computer. He didn't speak immediately, but Alex could hear the muffled words of the opposition on the line.

"Yes, it's all in place." Prudek confirmed in a moments silence. "This is a mess though."

Another beat of silence and Prudek pushed the chair away from the desk. Alex recoiled in his position and pushed his back against the metal side of the lab table as Prudek stood.

"Rider was my call. I knew the risks." Prudek stated calmly as he turned and walked alarmingly close to where Alex was hiding. Serious brown eyes followed him as he approached a filing cabinet and pulled open the top drawer. There was a light jangle and Alex spotted the light from the screen glint against what looked like a set of keys.

"The detour was a street rat." Prudek stated, "No one will miss him. He is better off in the Dambovita."

Prudek was leant over the screen and clicking on different icons quickly, Alex's head snapped around to the printer in the corner when it started up. He silently cursed and moved to one of the tables closer to the filing cabinets, away from the printer. The new position cut off his vision of the man, but the confirmation of knowing his location of Bucharest was somewhat comforting.

Prudek walked back into his line of sight and stood by the printer with an empty manila file in his hand, one that was similar to one Alex had seen used at the Bank.

"I still don't think we should do commission work. There are too many rules and questions." Prudek stated in a tone that was resolute. Alex watched as the sheaf of papers that had printed were placed in the file and frowned to himself. Whatever was going on wasn't to the companies gain, obviously.

Prudek turned and walked closer to him again. Alex looked for somewhere else to hide, and pushed himself as far as he could against the table side when he realised he really had nowhere else to go. Maybe the laboratories weren't really all that interesting. Prudek moved one of the filing cabinets to one side, and Alex peered out while the mans back was turned to see him easing the key into a small compartment concealed in the wall behind it. This time he could see the four digit code that was keyed into the number panel and the file was placed inside the small alcove, Alex sucked in a quick breath when the safe door was slammed closed and pushed himself back against the leg of the table as Prudek's legs marched past the table.

"They will not find out." He growled, Alex frowned as the man's voice on the other end of the line increased in volume. But still the words weren't clear,

"Then what do you suggest. I have Helmen working on him." Prudek snarled as he pushed the filing cabinet back into position and tucked the keys back inside the top drawer. Prudek stopped before pushing the drawer closed, "You can do that?"

Prudek made his way to the computer and Alex looked out the opposite side of the table to see the windows that were still open on the monitor being closed in a rapid succession of mouse clicks. Prudek sighed and ran a hand through his hair as the computer shut itself down.

"Thank you Padre. I'll deal with it if he doesn't agree." Prudek confirmed quietly, Alex frowned at the switch in tone as the man flicked the computer screen he had been using off. Prudek had been tense, and the relief that shone through his tone as he bid his goodbyes was all too evident. The only thing Alex had picked up on, was that whoever was on the other end of the line didn't want him here. Prudek had been arguing with him, over the course of action the man had taken, because there was a third party involved.

And whoever that third party was, was no fan of his by the sounds of it.

The door closed as Prudek left, and Alex watched him walk in the direction of the lift through the glass wall. He waited, silently counting to 30 before moving out from under the desk and moving to the glass wall to check he had gone. There was no one in the corridor and Alex turned back to the filing cabinet.

He had to get out, he knew that, but it would be a wasted opportunity to not gain something from a situation that had turned so dire. He rooted around in the drawer without finding the key in the files inside and he ran a hand over the top on the inside of the drawer. He smirked when he felt the small object tacked to the top and pulled it free, shoving the drawer closed and moving around the side to shift the container in the same way Prudek had just minutes before. He pushed the key into the lock and keyed in the number he had memorised from Prudek's usage of the safe before pulling it open and looking inside.

He picked up the newly printed file, and saw another nestled under it. He flicked through the first and was surprised to find his own details on the paper, he tucked it into one pocket of the trousers and pulled the second open. A small booklet fell to the floor, he scooped it up quickly and stared at the front of the Polish passport. When he pulled it open he was surprised to find his own, albeit younger face looking out at him with a different name and date of birth described. He smirked and tucked it into his pocket with the file.

"Cocky." Alex muttered to himself as he checked the rest of the contents quickly. The smirk on his face widened as his eyes fixed on the small flash drive and handgun near the back and he grabbed them both. He checked the clip of the gun with a practiced hand as he turned back to the door of the laboratory, he paused and debated about closing the safe before he walked directly to the door without bothering.

Prudek's confidence was his biggest mistake. The man had a job lined up for him, if the passport was anything to go by, and Alex did have a job to do. Just not one that was going to benefit the director.

Alex walked down the corridor with the gun in his grasp, not careful to conceal his footsteps, there would once have been a time he probably would have hesitated in being so obtuse. But that was a long time ago now. The metal within his grip, fed his confidence and reminded him that he knew how to use a firearm and he would if he needed to. But right now, with the injuries he had sustained the most important thing was to get out as soon as possible.

Alex had paused when he had descended the three flights of stairs to the Atrium floor, there had been no presence and his presumption of this being an actual working office so far had been proven correct. He peered through the gold plated circular window of the stairwell, and saw with dismay the two guards that were stood by a large marble desk. It wasn't the fact there were two of them, it was the fact they were armed.

Alex crouched when he heard the arrival of the lift into the lobby, just as the guards turned with their weapons drawn, thankful a million times over that the distraction of the laboratory had provided some sort of purpose and he watched the shadows of someone's footsteps pass by the gap under the door.

He eased himself back up again to see Prudek walking towards the desk, the guards had dropped their weapons and only a few words exchanged as the man headed towards the door. He exited through the revolving door at the front and Alex counted silently in his head to give the man enough time to get into the car, he assumed would be waiting for the official of the building.

5

Alex flexed the muscles in his legs, feeling them tense and protest in his preparations after god knows how long lack of usage.

10

Check the barrel of the gun, 6 bullets. More than enough.

15

Eyes shut. Ears keen. Grip adjusted on the weapon in his grasp.

20

Deep breath. First spike of adrenaline at the thought of what he was about to do.

25

Palm flat against the door ready to push through and run for freedom.

He never reached thirty as a burst of static from above him and tinny voice split through the air in urgent tones. Alex pushed the door open with his hand and ran, aiming a warning shot at the desk, it hit the marble with a splintering sound as one of the guards yelled out in surprise.

It didn't take them long to react, but it was enough time for him to get half way across the lobby before the shots started to ring out from behind him. He sent another shot over his shoulder, it wasn't taken with aim, just anything to distract them and he heard a pained yell. He didn't turn to look at the damage, instead focussed solely on the door in front of him as he barrelled into it.

An alarm started sounding just as the door closed behind him and Alex jumped the grand steps at the front of the building with the grace of a bull. His muscles screamed as he landed awkwardly on the pavement and he looked up.

Prudek was staring at him, obviously caught in the act of just climbing into the car and Alex didn't hesitate to pull the trigger once again, the bullet embedding itself into the car door the man was holding open. Alex ran for all he was worth, the cold air permeating into his skin but he took no notice as the first breath of fresh air flowed down his throat.

He could hear Prudek yell something from behind him, and Alex turned down the next available street in the general direction of the mass of lights he had seen from Prudek's office window. The road he found himself on was long and straight, the littering of small shops and restaurants casting an ominous glow from their interiors. He kept running, glancing occasionally through a window at the people going about their nightly activities and not knowing that there was someone currently running for their life directly passed them.

That's what it was, and he knew it. If they found him now, they wouldn't hesitate to kill him, especially when they discovered the empty safe.

Alex didn't know how long far he'd gotten from the building, nor did he have any clue whereabouts he was, but he knew that his legs wouldn't keep going for much longer. He pushed himself that little bit further, his eyes fixed on an alley on the opposite side of the road and he darted across it the minute there was a break in the traffic. He glanced at the two people talking quietly outside of the front of the restaurant, before slipping into the alley and allowing his eyes to adjust to the darkness. He walked forwards, flexing his legs and feeling the butt of the gun with his fingertips before he came across two industrial waste bins. He looked back at the open air, the square illuminated by the lights of life outside, before squeezing himself between the two containers, pulling one of the bags of rubbish that smelled suspiciously like gone of cabbage from one of them. He sat down with his back to the cold wall and pushed the bag in front of him as he pulled his legs up to his chest.

He leant his hands over the top of his knees, gun still held loosely in his grip and tipped his head back against the wall with a heavy sigh.

He took a moment to compose his heavy breathing and adjusted his back against the wall so it wouldn't irritate the cuts on his back that, along with his other injuries, were now making their presence well known with the absence of adrenaline.

Comfortable, or at least as comfortable as he could be stuffed between two foul smelling dustbins, in a country he had hardly any knowledge of, in the middle of the night, in _fucking_ January he settled himself in for what he hoped would be a relatively short wait for the morning when he could make a move and find a way back to England.

He allowed himself a sardonic smile.

 _Time for the hard part._

* * *

Alex groaned as his head hit the wall of the compartment he was crouched in, the state of meditation he had forced himself into was broken in an instant and he opened his eyes to see the suitcases still crowding him with every jolt the coach made. It had been a long trip, but with the absence of natural light in his current travel place he had no way to gauge exactly how long had passed on this final leg of his journey.

He'd left the alley just after first light, and had meandered his way around various back roads, following signposts he didn't understand until he came to a busy square that was teaming with people. He hadn't slept throughout that first night, or since then in fact, in case he was being followed. It would have been just his luck to escape the hornet's nest only to be stung afterwards. He'd found, with broken conversation with a market vendor in the square where the train station was located, and after a few deftly placed pick pocketing episodes had procured enough money and a new t-shirt so he could finally start on his way back. The Polish passport had come in very handy, and when Alex had handed it over to the ticket salesman he'd said a silent thank you to Prudek for being such an overconfident pillock. The resulting train journey had been long, boring and arduous, especially every time the refreshments trolley around offering bottles of water that sparkled under the compartment's lights. Alex had thumbed through the last pieces of money, dismayed to find he didn't have enough for water before wheedling a glass from the woman manning the trolley.

Alex grimaced as a large bump caused one case beside him to hit his side and agitate the wound that was wrapped under dirty bandages across his chest. He shoved the case away with a scowl, before wrapping an arm across the area to stop it happening again, careful not to apply any pressure to the bandage. As it was it hurt to breath, let alone contemplate another impact there. At least it was hidden beneath his shirt.

When he had caught sight of himself in a mirror in the trains bathroom on his journey from Bucharest to Paris he had almost recoiled. He knew from the pain that was constant in his muscles and the stretched feeling of his skin on his face that Helmen had done a real job on him. But he hadn't expected the outcome to be quite so horrific. His skin was no longer its normal sun kissed tone, now it was purple with bruises, with small hints of yellow where some had started fading and an angry red, where skin had split under the man's less than careful ministrations. He'd done his best, with the dirty water from the bathroom tap and wadded up toilet roll to clean it up. But all he seemed to achieve was to wipe away any grime and reveal yet more blemishes and causing some cuts to re-open. He hadn't had the time, nor the inclination to tend to the bruises on his chest and he wouldn't have reached the ones on his back. All the reveal had done, was to make him even more aware of how conspicuous he looked sat on a train with holidaymakers and distance commuters. He'd never been so pleased to see the Eiffel Tower in his life as the train journey drew to a close, and he'd mingled in with the crowds as much as possible on his way to the exit, steadily making his way out and into the open air of France, but the most important thing was he knew where he was going here, and it was just one short journey away from finally being able to stop.

Alex shivered, pulling his back away as the movement grated against the wall behind him and gritted his teeth together. He wiped a hand across his eyes, feeling his hot fingertips sweep across the cooling beads of sweat on his brow. He shifted, the file that was still tucked into his trouser pocket dug into his leg and irritated one of the bruises as he tried to unzip the case beside him. He rummaged around the inside, feeling as his fingers caught on a fleecy material and pulled his hand out with a jacket. He shrugged it on.

Alex had watched in Paris as his target started to fill with innocent tourists and eased his way out from behind the secure unit he had taken residence behind for the last few hours. In those hours he had watched the routine of the coaches in Galleini station. Tourists arrived to a holding area, baggage was taken and counted, before both baggage and tourists were loaded at the same time, the inanimate objects unsurprisingly taking less time as tourists and travellers lingered, saying goodbyes to loved ones or simply fluttering around for mild worries that would annoy the other passengers if they heard them. Alex though was thankful for them, it gave him a window, only short no more than about a minute to get to where he needed to be. So he waited as the midday departure was loaded on time, ten minutes before it was due to leave. He watched as two younger passengers embraced at the entrance to the holding area and the assistant that was loading the coach turned away to hurry them on. Alex ran, it was what he'd been waiting for, and as he pushed his way between the suitcases of the luggage compartment he had sighed in relief at the thought that by 10pm that night he would be back on English soil.

Alex tucked the jacket in around his body as the deafening sound of the coach engine cut out once again, hopefully for the final time. The compartment was opened to the opposite end of the hold and light flooded in as voices and bitter air streamed into his enclosure. He shivered again, regardless of the extra covering as the baggage was extracted from the hold piece by piece by gloved hands. He pushed himself back against the wall as the final piece from around him was extracted by straggling hands, and held his breath when one brushed against his leg.

"What the hell?" A voice muttered before a surprised looking face appeared in through the opening and stared at Alex who had moved his way into a crouch, ready to move. The attendant just stared at him for a second, and Alex darted forwards, knocking him to the ground before his still bare feet hit the ground outside of the coach and he was running for the service gate.

"Hey. Stop him. He's illegal!" The attendant bellowed. Alex felt as people turned to look at him and more shouts started to fill the air. He gritted his teeth against the pain his body was inflicting as he grabbed the rail and swung himself around the gate onto the roads that looked so familiar he could have yelled in relief.

He couldn't have imagined being so happy to be back in the country before, or thankful for the fact that the streets of London were always busy as he mingled into the crowds and slowed himself to a walk. He'd never been so thankful for the fact people were so self-absorbed that he could walk by, barefooted, bruised and aching beyond belief, without gaining a second glance from any of them. If they had he was sure someone would have called the police by now. He kept walking, trying his best to ignore his shoulders jarring against anyone else's bodies as he walked towards the bank. It was only as he turned into Eaton Terrace, a shortcut route through a residential area that was away from the crowds that he sat down and started to massage his frozen feet.

He looked at the nearest house, a warm glow being emitted through the curtains and willed for himself to get up. In all the trip had taken three days, between waiting and travelling, he'd neither slept, eaten or relaxed in all that time. But the thought of a warm bed was enough to get him to his feet, and start hobbling down the road, trying to ignore the stabbing cold from the pavement that was starting to ice over.

The drizzle started as he passed Tedworth Square near Chelsea, and he wondered to himself if the night could get any worse before carrying on, his pace was slow, between Eaton Terrace and Tedworth square should have taken ten minutes, but judging by the lights that where flickering out along the residential streets as he walked them, it was taking a lot longer.

Alex stopped in front of Chelsea library and slumped to the bottom step with a deep breath, dropping his head between his knees as the overbearing weariness and pain threatened to overcome him.

 _Damn it_

He shut his eyes and placed his forehead gently against one kneecap as he took a steadying breath and tentatively touched the bandage on his chest, wincing as the pain cut through the drowsiness better than the strongest cup of coffee.

 _Fucking get up Alex._

He silently urged himself. And with all the willpower he could muster, which almost wasn't enough, he was stood up once again, breathing deeply and racking his brain. Looking around, he knew he'd never make it to the bank. It was still a 45 minute walk away on a good day, which this definitely wasn't and even he could admit he had limits. The Pleasures house was a lot closer and he wondered if he would be able to shimmy the drainpipe to his room as he had done on occasion before, but that would still leave the problem of explaining it away in the morning. He shivered, his stomach tensing and twinging with pain before he ruled the idea out completely.

Alex shut his eyes, leaning against the railing of the steps for a second, and debating whether to just find a nice bench to bunk on for the night, before he remembered an offer that had been made a couple of months previously. He never thought he'd need it, but he'd already dropped his pride back in that damn office, so to trade it off against a warm bed now didn't seem all that daunting. He gathered the jacket, which was far too big, around him before setting off once again and heading straight across the road as the temperature seemed to drop even further.

It should have taken ten minutes, fifteen at absolute most. But judging by the lights that were all out in the downstairs rooms in the houses he passed it was late, much later than he had ever intended. His feet were freezing and sore, the slapping noise each time they had hit the pavement that had accentuated the quiet night in his walk between the coach station and his current position had diminished as he'd started scuffing his feet through sheer lack of energy, and muscles too sore and hurting to lift them and take purposeful steps. It didn't help that he wasn't one hundred percent sure whereabouts he was going, each of the street signs had looked blurry as he had approached them and the black spots that he had to blink rapidly to clear where anything but a good sign. Alex didn't think he'd ever been this tired, but the promise of warmth and a small amount of comfort was enough to keep him shuffling onwards now he had finally turned into the right street he recognised.

Alex stopped, one hand reaching out for the black railing at the bottom of the steep stairs that mounted the front of the house and he took a deep breath. The curtains were drawn at the front of the house, he couldn't tell if there was a light on, but he'd take the risk if it meant he could get a much deserved sleep.

Slowly he made his way up the steps, more using his arms, although it pulled, yanked, stretched, the damaged skin on his body to get up the steps. He took a deep breath when he reached the door, and lifted a hand to knock. He hesitated, wondering if he would wake the houses occupants with the noise. He frowned, and instead dropped his hand to the handle, the chances of it being open were slim to none-

Alex blinked in surprise when the handle clicked down and the door jarred from its frame under his touch. He eased the door open and shuffled inside.

It was dark, there were no lights on from what he could see, but there were shadows through a door off the hall to the left and the sound of a commentator announcing a goal reached his ears as he pushed the front door closed. He stopped as he turned and a brighter light flicked on, the sound of the TV disappeared. It seemed deafening to his ears, and he shook his head slowly trying to clear the drowsiness that had seeped into his pores the minute the bitter wind had been blocked by the front door. He shut his eyes for a second and took a steadying breath, leaning back against the door.

Alex snapped his eyes open to hear a muffled yell, and he took a step forwards towards the door. He wondered if the deafening noise of the engine on the coach had done any serious damage to his hearing as the words and tone were unrecognisable, but he took a hesitant step forwards, one hand holding the hall wall for support as he eased the pressure onto his injured feet slowly. There were no more yells from the room, but he could hear muffled voices and Alex thought about turning back and taking his chances in getting to the bank. He was just steps away from the door, lost in indecision when the door was pulled open roughly. He took a step back, pushing his back against the wall waiting for whoever was leaving to come out, instead the sound of glass breaking made him move forwards.

He blinked to adjust his eyes to the change in lighting, as he approached and one voice drifted through his hazy state, everything about it the accent, the lilt at the end of a sentence. Everything familiar apart from the vehemence.

"Next time, I hope it's you. God knows you fucking deserve it."

It was enough to make him move forwards again, the thought of a warm bed and finally being able to rest under the eye of someone he knew would do him no harm. Alex stumbled in his over enthusiastic step, grabbing blindly for the doorframe and cursing under his breath as his elbow caught the bandage under his shirt. When he looked up, an involuntary cough ripped through his throat, alerting them if his damn clumsiness hadn't already and he swallowed heavily against the wetness in his throat before a dull thud made him look down to see the gun had fallen from his waistband from the sudden movement.

 _Fuck_


	4. Chapter 4

**Warnings:** Language. Medical stuffs.

 **Disclaimer:** This is a work of FanFiction using characters from the Alex Rider series, intellectual property and copyright of Anthony Horowitz.

* * *

Ben sat on the seat closest to the window in his lounge, rolling the bottle of lager gently between his fingers as the sounds of Match of the Day floated through the air. Other than the overenthusiastic voice of the commentator the room was silent, the pleasant albeit forced chat had long since died out, the excuse of eating the take away they had ordered had long since been devoured and the unpleasant pressure of conflict was all that remained.

He never thought it would come to this between them.

Ben looked over at Eagle, sat at the opposite end of the sofa and the red head shook his head with a disappointed expression on his face. Ben had been fully prepared this evening, wanting to get things sorted out, determined to shift through the month of silent accusations between them and finally get things back to some semblance of normality.

But Wolf who along with himself, were where most of the problems lay, seemed to have a determinedly different idea as he tucked into the crates of alcohol he and Snake had brought with them. Wolf had necked the first three bottles in the space of thirty minutes, and Ben thought about how he hadn't seen the man drink as much since their training days of naivety and inexperience, when the guns of war were miles away and the weight of secrets didn't hang above them. That minute of nostalgia simply made him realise all the more, that the friendship that was once between them, one that had been struck up over a simple challenge in the Catterick firing range, was slipping away at a faster rate than he wanted to admit.

"Luke." Ben said quietly, simply deciding to bite the bullet and get this sorted out before it disappeared completely. Wolf didn't look at him, or even give an acknowledging grunt, but Snake was sat further away turned his head when Ben spoke.

 _Arrogant bastard._

"Luke?" Ben repeated, in a louder firmer tone. The only reaction he got was Wolf lifting his glass to his mouth and the tale tell twitch above his right eyebrow that always appeared when he was restraining a scowl. Ben eyed the glass carefully, it was rare for Wolf to drink spirits, the fact he had now switched to vodka would have made him overly cautious at the best of times.

This wasn't the best of times.

"Jesus Christ." Eagle snapped as he pushed himself up, crossing the room in just three steps and snatching the remote from the arm of the chair Wolf was sat on and flicking the set off with one finger. "You ignorant fuck. Ben's trying to talk to you."

Wolf looked over at Ben and shrugged making a grab for the remote in Eagle's hand as he stood up. Eagle yanked his hand away and took a step back.

"Luke. We need to sort this out." Snake insisted in a forceful but calm tone from his seat. Ben watched as Wolf stared at Snake and the medic gave him a pointed look.

"There's nothing to sort out. What's done is done."

"We lost two, Luke." Eagle stated in a tone that was imploring for the other man to speak. "Two men."

"No." Wolf responded curtly, his fists clenching at his sides. "We lost one. Cub was _not_ a part of this unit."

"Yes he was. He trained with us, Wolf." Ben announced loudly, the statement from the burly Hispanic man having gotten under his skin to a point that was just plain uncomfortable. Wolf turned to look at him with an animosity that Ben once remembered being aimed towards the young blonde spy.

"So did you. He's no more a part of this unit than you are." Wolf snarled. Ben glared at him and ignored the pleading look that Eagle gave to Snake behind Wolf's back. Snake didn't move but he was watching with wary eyes as the two dark haired men stared each other down.

"That what you reckon?" Ben asked after a short pause, Wolf faltered for a second before he nodded curtly. Ben gestured to the door, "Then get out."

Wolf glanced at the door before locking eyes with Ben once again, "You made your own bed, Fox."

"I had my reasons. You acting like this, is only justifying them." Ben sniped in a cold tone, Wolf took a step forwards and Eagle grabbed his shoulder quickly.

"Guys- " he was cut off when Wolf shoved him and, being caught off balance, Eagle's legs hit the sofa and he flopped onto it with a quiet oomph. Ben stood up quickly standing himself straight in front of Wolf with his fists clenched.

"You really don't want to do that again." Ben hissed,

"Picking sides are we Fox?"

"Unlike you, those two," Ben pointed in the general direction of both Snake and Eagle, "Haven't been complete pricks since I transferred."

"Unlike you, they didn't run when the going got too hard."

"The same as you in Croatia then." Ben responded with a self-satisfied smirk. He hardly even batted an eyelid as Wolf hurled his glass against the nearest wall in anger, and both Snake and Eagle stood up quickly, sensing things were getting out of hand as Wolf took a threatening step towards the agent.

"That was a good call, unlike the one in Baghdad, Fox."

"Why don't you just do us a favour and fuck off." Ben snapped, he felt a restraining hand on his shoulder, ignoring it as he glared at his former team leader. He waited for the sting of a fist hitting him somewhere. He had been purposefully antagonising him, wanting to garner a reaction that was some semblance of an apology, but somewhere that small streak of anger that was normally buried beneath calm and rational thought process had broken through at that one comment.

Wolf didn't lash out as Ben expected him too, instead breaking eye contact and turning towards the door with a gruff curse. Ben felt the incense of victory and smirked at his retreating back, that small surge was all it took for the words he'd kept quiet to run free.

"Next time, I hope it's you. God knows you fucking deserve it." Ben announced in a tone so hate filled, it sounded alien even to himself. Wolf span on the spot and Ben was surprised to see the hurt that was on a face that was normally strong. It killed the anger streak more effectively than a cold shower, and at once he knew that there was no going back now. The hand on his shoulder dropped, and the silence in the room was deafening as the men just stood there in the aftermath of the words.

Ben blinked when a cough sounded into the silence, one that didn't sound like it had come from any of the men around him, and a quiet thud caused his eyes to move to the door. Ben's eyes drifted over the dirty, almost black hair, and filthy skin, bedraggled unfitting clothes before his eyes rested on the pistol that had been dropped.

Wolf apparently had followed the same train, and before Ben could give an exclamation of surprise the man had grabbed the intruder and pushed him face first against the lounge wall, yanking his arm up behind his back. Wolf kicked the weapon back towards the men and Ben picked it up quickly, feeling the biting cold of late February still inflicted on the metal.

"What the fuck are you doing in here?" Wolf demanded roughly. Ben saw the stranger struggle meekly and he frowned when Wolf shook him and his forehead collided with the wall with a dull thud.

"Fuck."

"Wolf. Let up a bit." Ben advised as dull eyes clenched closed under Wolf's hold.

"Not until you check him." Wolf countered. Ben glanced at Snake who gave a small nod before he took two steps and started checking the jacket with both hands. Ben watched the eyes snap open when he made each pat down with his hands, before white teeth bit at a filthy lip. Ben felt an item under the jacket and he lifted it to see the file. He nodded at Wolf as he took the manila folder and unfolded it with a frown on his face.

"What the hell." Ben muttered to himself, a small booklet fell out and Eagle snatched it up from the ground with a curious eye. Ben stared back at the intruder, who was shaking his head with his eyes now clenched closed at whatever Wolf was hissing in his ear.

"You picked the wrong house Pikey." Wolf growled, Ben flicked open the file that was in his hands and read the dossier page, eyes freezing on the first line;

 _Biosyn technologies are proud to announce we have managed the feat of human destabilization and rehabilitation._

Ben turned his eyes back to the intruder taking in the slight frame, the straight far too white teeth that were biting desperately at his bottom lip again and the final thing he noticed was the lack of shoes.

" _Alex, why have you got no shoes on?" Blonde head over his restraints unchaining him._

Ben felt a hand thump his arm, breaking the memory, only barely hearing Eagle's voice as he moved forwards when he noticed a hint of red against the cream paintwork of his wall.

"What the hell!" Eagle exclaimed staring at the passport in his hand, "This picture-"

"Luke-" Ben said urgently as he approached the man, Wolf looked at him with a confused expression before the man under his grip started struggling again with renewed vigour.

"Wolf!" Ben felt himself freeze as he heard the desperate yell and all too familiar voice. "Get the fuck off!"

Ben snapped his eyes to the dirty face as the whole room seemed to freeze at the words and Wolf released a little of the grip. Dirty black hair leant against the wall and Ben heard a relieved sigh before another small cough sounded in the room. Ben walked to the doorway, taking in the closed eyes and tired expression and looked to Wolf.

"What'd you call him?" Ben asked quietly, the tired eyes turned towards him and the intruder shook his head slowly and Ben felt himself crack as those familiar serious brown eyes tried and failed to focus on him.

"Ben. Please. 'm tired." Alex half slurred as he turned his head back to the wall and leant his forehead against it. Ben didn't move, his mind not quite processing what was happening as Wolf immediately let go. Ben saw Alex slump, his legs shaking and both hands being placed palm flat against the wall. Wolf backed away to the furthest corner, a look of complete shock on his face as he moved and almost tripping over a piece of furniture in the process. He knew his expression was probably very similar. Ben ducked his head to see eyes were closed and deep breaths being taken, and there was no mistaking him when he looked at the shape of the face.

"Alex?" Ben breathed, throwing the file onto the sofa behind him and placing a hand against the younger spies back. He felt Alex tense but he didn't expect him to try to twist away, he heard the stumbled step as Alex swayed mid movement and he fell straight onto his chest with a pained sound that Ben had only heard in times of war in medical tents among dying men. Ben crouched immediately and looked at Snake who had turned pale but hadn't moved from where he was stood.

"Snake." Ben urged in a low tone as he turned his head to look at the eyes that were clenched closed and teeth that were gritted together on Alex's face

"Alex. Stay still." Ben advised gently, Alex shook his head.

"''m fine," he slurred, the words broken by a wet sounding cough, "Just want to sleep."

Ben looked up at the point where the blonde had been restrained against the wall, and the streaks of red that had been left behind on the cream paint stood out in stark contrast. Alex tried to get up in front of him, and already Ben could see the splattering of blood against the laminate flooring from where he had fallen. He watched as Alex seemed to try to push himself up and Ben hesitated in placing a hand on his back after the last time to restrain him. Ben looked at Eagle who seemed to have regained himself first as Alex slumped to the floor after a momentous shake of his arms and had curled in on himself. Eagle smacked Snake's arm and the medic seemed to jerk himself as he moved forwards at the touch as Alex turned his head and led it flat on the ground as Ben reach a hand out to touch him.

"Don't." Alex slurred. It sounded as though he was choking in Ben's mind and he shifted from his spot so Snake could get to him easier.

"Fucking hell Cub." Snake muttered as he crouched in Ben's spot. Ben stood for a second before he looked at Eagle who seemed to be trying to think of something to say and coming up blank, before the red haired man shook his head.

"I'll go get the car." Eagle muttered as he snatched his keys from the table and leapt over the back of the sofa before running out of the house, the front door slamming closed behind him.

"Cub." Snake said gently, Alex's eyes flew open and they stared at Snake warily. "I need to move you."

Alex shook his head feebly, and Ben could imagine he must want nothing more than to be just left alone. Snake paid no heed to the words though, and ever so slowly he turned the youngest in the room onto his back where Ben saw the redness through his shirt and the clenched eyes and teeth as his back was rolled onto the floor. Ben crouched by his head quickly when Alex tried to pull a deep breath and started coughing, grimacing with each hack. Ben pushed down on his shoulders to stop him from irritating what was obviously a bad wound on the abdomen. He felt the tension under his hands and Alex tried to wrench his shoulders out of his grip.

"Stop Alex." Ben urged when he felt a hand scratch against his wrist roughly. Serious brown eye's snapped open and Alex looked at him blearily before he stilled in his protests after a brief moment.

"You need to try to breath steady Cub." Snake said calmly. Ben saw Alex tense as Snake reached out to touch him to check for where they all knew at least one wound resided. Snake's hand had just reached his jacket zip when Alex's fist clenched at his side and Ben grabbed the fist with one hand. Alex's eyes widened and flicked up to look at Ben, his lips pursing together in one of the faint hints of damaged pride that Ben could recognise, before he felt cold fingers wrap around his arm, digging in when Snake unzipped the jacket and made to lift the shirt that was stuck against his skin.

"I need scissors." Snake instructed and Wolf moved from the room without a word, disappearing through the archway he'd backed himself into. Alex coughed again, and his nails dug into Ben's wrist as he swiped at his mouth with his free arm, a deep red trail being left across one cheek from the half-hearted movement. Ben looked away and saw Snake had a stone face on, one that Ben remembered seeing him use when treating civilians in the field and he knew it was bad. Wolf arrived back in the room, with a kitchen towel and a pair of scissors in his hand and passed them over before standing back in his spot.

Snake bent over the blonde's body and deftly cut away the material and snipped the filthy bandage underneath. Ben cringed as the majority of the material was cut away and the purple mottled skin underneath was revealed and Snake gently peeled the remaining material away.

Alex's eyes that had been fixed firmly on the ceiling with a look of defiance, clenched closed and Ben could have sworn that blood was drawn by nails from his arm as Snake pulled the last bit away from his skin. Immediately, fresh blood, dark red and violent in its flow started to come from the area. Snake cursed and snatched the tea towel from the floor beside him to try to staunch it. Ben looked down to see Alex's eyes rolling back into his head, he pinched the skin on the inside of the blonde's wrist and Alex blinked owlishly.

"Stay awake. It'll be alright." Ben murmured. Alex swallowed heavily and shook his head.

"No," Alex gasped out, Snake looked up with a frown as he nodded to Ben, indicating he was going to apply pressure. "R-ruined the c-carpe-t"

Ben let out a tense huff of laughter, before Snake applied pressure to the area and Alex yelled out as Ben had never heard him do before. Ben looked down at him carefully as he seemed to regain himself and snapped his mouth closed and bit his lip instead. Immediately Ben pulled his arm out of the hand on his wrist and grabbed for one of the cup mats on the coffee table. He forced Alex's mouth open and pushed the cup mat between his teeth against protestations from Alex trying to yank his head away. Snake reapplied pressure and Ben felt the cup mat clamp between teeth desperately and he offered his wrist back to the clenched fist, surprised when he felt it become enclosed in a grip that seemed stronger than should be possible. Ben looked over his shoulder at the window when there was a horn beep from outside.

"We need to go." Snake said quickly, as he stood up. Ben looked down at Alex who had his eyes closed, trying to breath slowly through what Ben could only imagine was pain on a level so high it had no description. Quickly and as gently as he could, he helped Snake lift him and arranged Alex in a bridal hold in Snake's arms, the medic started towards the door.

"Grab your kit Fox." Snake ordered. Ben nodded before he ran up the stairs three at a time. He seized the green plastic box and jogged back down the stairs. He grabbed the files from where they'd been thrown on the sofa and looked up to see Wolf had moved from the corner he had backed into, and noticed the man was staring at his hands that were a mottled brown red colour.

"Wolf?" Ben said warily, confused and conflicted grey eyes looked up at him as if in a daze. "You alright?"

"Yeah. Go." Wolf said gruffly, his eyes drifting to the blood smear that was on the wall before roaming down to the pool on the floor. Ben swallowed heavily, wanting to offer reassuring words as he once would have done, but instead he secured the first aid box under one arm, grabbed the pistol, file and passport before turning and running out the front door.

Ben threw himself into the front passenger seat of Eagle's minivan, his door wasn't even fully closed before Eagle pulled away far quicker than he should have done. Ben twisted in his seat, turning to see Snake crouched in the alcove behind Eagle's seat, by Alex's feet where the blonde was laid out on the back seat. He passed the first aid kit over, and watched as Snake ran through a standard set of checks on the blonde.

Alex's answers were slurred at best when he was asked a question and each breath seemed to be forcing a painful sounding wheeze from his throat. Alex yelled when Eagle slammed the brakes on, and Ben moved quickly to grab his shoulders to stop him from falling off the seat as Snake did the same with his feet.

"Sorry." Eagle muttered, glaring at the goods vehicle that had pulled out in front of him before pulling around it quickly. Neither of the other two said a word, and Snake was trying to get Alex to calm down, shaking his head when yet another cough caused the blonde to groan in pain. Snake turned to Ben.

"Climb over here. He's not listening to me." Snake murmured. Ben waited until Eagle set a steady pace again, before awkwardly climbing over the back of his chair and squeezing himself into the space behind the passenger seat as Eagle slid it forwards.

"What's going on Snake?" Eagle asked from the front seat. Snake didn't look up as he probed around each rib on the exposed lower half of Alex's chest.

"Unresponsive pupils, cold hands, tachycardia and tahcypnea." Snake reported quickly. Ben looked down when his own wrist became enclosed in a death grip once again, and looked up to see Alex staring at him with dull eyes. Ben nodded his consent and Alex turned his eyes up to the roof of the car.

"What you thinking?" Eagle called, glancing in the rear view mirror. Snake gestured to the first aid kit and Ben flicked it open with his free hand.

"Potentially broken ribs. Bleeding out." Snake muttered as he eased the tea towel away gently, "Hypovolemic shock 2 confirmed, 3 potentially. Gauze Fox."

Eagle obviously understood as he pushed the accelerator down a little harder. Ben's hand immediately grabbed the requested item from the kit. There was squeal of tyres from outside the vehicle as Eagle pulled out onto the next road and he slammed his hand against the horn with a muttered curse, Ben watched as Alex blinked heavily.

"I've got-t a headache Eag-Eagle." Alex muttered quietly. Snake looked up with a huff of laughter before carrying on with his removal of the temporary towel wrapping and Eagle smirked into the rear view mirror.

"Sorry, Cub." He called. Ben saw as the blonde's lips twitched, whether in pain or humour Ben wasn't sure.

"Tape, Fox." Snake muttered, as he held a hand lightly over the towel that had been pried away from the skin, again Ben used his free hand. Alex's grip was still tight around the other wrist, his eyes closed rather than staring blankly up at the ceiling as they had been. Ben watched as Snake lifted the towel away completely, swallowing heavily when he saw the damaged skin underneath. It was a larger opening than Ben had seen of most bullet wounds, but then it had been at point blank range. Ben could only admit it was messy, and as Alex drew a wheezing breath, he hoped he was imagining the lung wall he saw trying to expand. Snake muttered a quiet curse and dropped the gauze as the hand fell away from Ben's wrist. He snapped his eyes up to Alex's face, expecting to see his head lolled to one side, but instead his eyes were open wide and the young spy sat upright with one jerky motion, causing the skin to tear and fresh blood flow freely from the unwrapped injury.

"Cub, stop!" Snake exclaimed loudly, Alex stared at him for a second, his eyes were glassy.

"Where're you taking me?" He demanded, his words were slurred and his voice rough. Ben was the first to move, placing a hand on one shoulder and moving his eyes into Alex's line of sight as Snake scrambled to push the gauze over the opening in the young spies chest.

"Alex. It's Ben. We're going to hospital." Ben informed in a firm but soothing tone. Alex's eyes fixed on him, but they were glassy and no recognition showed.

"Ben." Alex repeated slowly. There was no recognition at the name, just a confused expression. Snake grabbed the tape with a spare hand and Alex looked down at him as the medic pushed the gauze against the broken skin. "Stop."

Snake ignored him and tore a piece of the tape off with his teeth, Alex made to lash out with both his fists and Ben grabbed at them, only managing to catch one. The other cracked Snake in the nose and Ben was surprised as he just pushed it away so Ben could restrain it again as the medics nose started to trickle with blood. Alex turned his eyes back to Ben with the same confused expression.

"We're trying to help. You need to lay down." Ben stated in a calm slow tone. Ben felt the arms in his grip go lax as a small cough left the blondes mouth, causing a small trail of blood to flow from one corner of his mouth. Ben gently put both hands on his shoulders and laid him back down on the seat. Ben glanced at Snake who had grabbed another pack of gauze and the medic nodded in approval.

"Keep your hands there." Snake instructed as he opened the next packet, and laid it over the top of the next one. Ben sent a silent apology as he pushed Alex down onto the seat by the shoulders as Snake applied pressure to the wound and secured the temporary dressing with tape. Alex didn't react though he was staring up at him with glassy eyes that were almost lifeless. Ben let go the minute Snake pulled away and Eagle glanced over into the back seat as Snake pulled the thermometer from the med-kit.

"What was that?" Eagle asked. Snake pulled back and looked at the reading before nodding.

"Late stage 3. Zero recognition and now seemingly unresponsive."

The fact that it meant Alex's condition was deteriorating at an alarming rate went unspoken, and a quiet choking noise caused Ben to look back at the spy. Snake pushed himself across the seat as Alex tried unsuccessfully to draw a breath.

Ben could tell, just by watching at this point that Alex was drifting, the hand that had gripped his wrist hadn't been replaced, there was no protest against the unnatural angle Snake placed his head at and the words spilling from his lips in a hoarse voiced whisper were unrecognisably slurred. Snake gently pulled Alex's jaw open, and the airway cleared, causing a spluttering cough but this time there were no groans or pained noises just an addition to the red trail that had appeared to one side of the blonde's mouth that was ever darkening in colour. Snake pulled back and knelt in the alcove behind Eagle's seat, rubbing a hand over his face.

"There ain't a lot else we can do." He admitted. Ben nodded, peering into the front of the van as Snake started another set of checks.

"How long?" Eagle asked with a serious face looking in the rear view mirror.

"Three minutes at absolute most. Be ready to resus if needed." Snake responded. Ben just handed Snake the small plastic breathing mask with a grim frown on his face before he pushed the hair away from Alex's eyes where they were staring into nothing.

* * *

Alex was aware of the voices around him, and the crick that was present in his neck from being arranged in a difficult angle. He'd tried to move it, but through the haze that had descended over his mind, it seemed he'd also lost the control of his muscles. He coughed, trying to relieve the pressure from his chest and the movement pulled, but didn't dislodge the vice like grip over one side. The groan he thought he'd given as the pain remained didn't vocalise, he could feel hands hands touching pulse points and a gentler one brushing hair away from his eyes.

It felt the same as Jacks, when he used to get ill. Warm and comforting and he remembered the nights of old, where that gentle touch would send him off to sleep. He needed that now, he was tired. He was desperate for it, the blurry memory of the journey he'd travelled and the pains he had pushed aside were drifting now in the light of bone deep weariness.

That hand could wipe it all away, it was warm, inviting, comfortable. He took a shallow breath as he felt the vehicle stop, finally they'd arrived and he shut his eyes.

* * *

Ben ran the minute Eagle had pulled Alex from the back seat of the van and passed him over. The glass automatic doors of the emergency department didn't open quick enough and he yelled for a doctor before they were open wide enough for him to pass through, startling other patients that had been sat in the silence of the waiting room and the woman at the desk.

It was one of the triage nurses, who ran and picked up the phone from the desk as Ben moved to the middle of the room, before realising he didn't know what to do next. It was only a couple of seconds before the double swing doors opened with a gurney between them being wheeled over towards him. Ben immediately put Alex's limp form down on the bed, only realising once he'd let go how little he weighed for his height and the nurses immediately started attaching sensors to Alex's chest and inserting IV needles. A doctor approached him with placid blue eyes and his peppered hair slightly askew from what Ben could assume was a short dash into the ER Department, he stopped in front of Ben.

"His name?" the doctor asked calmly.

"Alex Rider." Ben supplied automatically in a voice that sounded not like his own. His eyes were drawn over the man's shoulder as the nurses tried to wake Alex on the bed, pulling an oxygen mask over his face. He was vaguely aware of the doctor saying something, but it seemed fuzzy to his ears as one of the monitors that had been attached to Alex's chest started to cast a shrill alarm into the air. He felt a hand land on his shoulder and turned his head to see Eagle watching him, lips moving in soundless words as the gurney was wheeled away down the hall the doctor following after it with rapid steps, issuing instructions to the nurses. The doctor yelled something and one of the nurses split away from the bed before it was pushed towards the green double doors at the end of the hall. Ben just listened as the erratic beeping from the heart monitor turned to a consistent mournful wail as the gurney was wheeled behind closed doors and out of sight.


	5. Chapter 5

**Warnings:** Alcohol abuse. Language.

 **Disclaimer:** This is a work of FanFiction using characters from the Alex Rider series, intellectual property and copyright of Anthony Horowitz.

* * *

Ben looked up at the light blue door in front of them as the nurse entered. She just placed some scrubs on the side and Ben went back to picking the dried blood of his hands in silence.

"They'll be someone to look at your injuries along momentarily." She said quietly before she walked out of the room.

Curiously Ben twisted his hands and wasn't surprised to find cuts around them from where nails had dug into them tightly. By his side Snake stood up with a sigh. Ben looked up at the man, whose hands were in a similar state to his, and the clothes he was wearing that had splatters of what was obviously blood on them.

"Ben." Eagle said quietly from his other side, Ben looked at him with what felt like unseeing eyes. "Go wash them, mate."

"I find it quite fitting that we literally have his blood on our hands."

There was silence in the room following his statement, Ben just looked back down at his hands and continued picking at them. He didn't see Eagle look at Snake seriously as he stood up, "I'm going to go make sure Luke is alright."

"Why did you send him away?" Ben asked dully as he watched the door close, he dragged his eyes to Snake who was watching him with a wary expression.

"Because the last thing he needs to see right now is you fall apart." Snake shrugged and walked over to the scrubs that were placed on the side, "You know what he's like."

"I'm not falling apart."

"No." Snake agreed as he separated the scrubs into two piles, "But if Cub doesn't make it, you will."

Ben just watched as Snake walked over to the sink and twisted the hot tap on. The Scot looked over his shoulder expectantly and Ben walked over. He pushed the plunger of the soap bottle, and watched as the soap landed in his hand and made a small pool. He waited, rubbing his hands gently together as Snake rinsed his before moving into his spot. He watched curiously as the water turned red as he rinsed them before squeezing more soap into his hands and rubbing them together again. He rinsed them again and the water was still red. He stared at it for a second before depositing yet more soap into his hand and scrubbing them together more roughly, feeling the alcohol and particles in the soap cutting into his hands as he did so. He repeated the action four more times, each time watching as the scolding hot water ran red. He turned them over with a frown, checking he hadn't missed any before he put more soap on them. Snake appeared at his side with a confused look and now dressed in scrubs. Snake pushed his hands under the tap one last time before shoving a towel into his hands.

"That's yours from those cuts." Snake muttered with a frown on his face, "Not his."

Ben nodded mutely and watched his reflection as he dried his hands in the small mirror above the sink. The face looking back at him wasn't one he recognised. He looked gaunt, the bags under his eyes were dark and his skin tight around his features. The dull lifeless eyes that stared back at him weren't something he'd never seen set in his face and he looked at them curiously. Ben ducked his head with a sigh and watched as all that remained of the blood they'd washed off were clear sparkling bubbles as they popped or disappeared down the drain.

Ben took a deep steadying breath and looked back up, his eyes catching onto the red that stained his shirt. He was vaguely surprised, although it didn't show, of how much of it there was on his clothes. He just looked at it for a long while, running backwards through the evenings events before coming to the point where everything had gone so _fucked up_ that it just stopped forming any coherent sense in his brain. He knew the alcohol he had consumed wasn't blameless for the lack of sense, but still it didn't feel like this was actually happening. Numbly, he pulled off his shirt and unfolded the scrubs that had been left for him. He pulled the shirt over his head and he could feel Snake watching his every move. It wasn't until he pulled the light blue slacks on that he spoke.

"This isn't real."

Snake just sighed, "Yes it is."

"It can't be." Ben countered, "He was dead, Quinn. People don't just come back to life."

"Then he never died."

Ben clicked his mouth closed, his mind whirring at double speed to figure out the date and timeline before he dropped himself into the chair next to Snake with a sigh.

"Then why the hell did it take him five weeks to get back?"

Snake didn't answer, and Ben found he was grateful to not have to be witness to the mental cinema any response would have given him.

"You need to sleep off that alcohol Ben." Snake said firmly. Ben, recognizing a warning when he heard one, pulled his feet up onto the hospital bench and leant his head back against the wall, knowing all too well that sleep wouldn't come to him anytime soon.

* * *

Ben looked up when he heard the door to their room open, and he found Snake laid out on the waiting benches to the side of him, seemingly asleep. He let out a breath when he saw Eagle poke his head through the gap with a curious look. When recognition showed in his eyes, he pushed the door open fully and Ben put a finger to his lips as he gestured at Snake. Eagle nodded once and gestured outside. Ben stood, aware that he was wearing no shoes when the balls of his feet hit the cold tiles and padded out of the room. He eased the door closed behind him.

"Where's Wolf?" Ben asked, Eagle rubbed the back of his neck.

"Gone to see the psych. Got to pick him up in an hour."

Ben looked around for a clock with a frown. Eagle held his wrist up and Ben glanced at the watch, "It's 4am."

"He had to go. Otherwise I was going to bring him here to get checked for shock."

"That bad?" Ben questioned. Eagle stretched his arms as he yawned.

"Got a spare seat in there?"

Ben nodded once and opened the door quietly once again. He relinquished his seat so to not awaken the sleeping Snake and sat on the floor with his back to the wall. Eagle sat down beside the Scot's feet carefully.

"How long has he been sleeping?" he whispered. Ben shrugged.

"Few hours I guess. I don't know, I didn't realise he'd fallen asleep."

Eagle just nodded and scrunched his jacket into a ball and leant his head against it on the wall. "Wake me in an hour so I can go get Luke? Otherwise there'll be three of us in this dump."

"Of course." Ben muttered as he yawned. He leant his own head back against the wall and took a deep breath. He listened as Eagle's breathing evened out and his mind wondered back to all the nights spent in a wooden shack in Wales. The feeling he got now was vaguely familiar and he finally acknowledged the fact he missed his team. The sounds each of them made in their sleep was familiar to his practiced ear, Snake low and deep breathing, Eagle shorter with a hint of a snore. He found it was odd hearing them without hearing Wolf's and he knew that beyond any measure of a doubt he hadn't meant what he'd said.

In hindsight he'd accepted he was angry and bitter over the fact that the man had done what he was supposed to, but it had come at a cost Ben had never thought he would have to pay. He made a mental note to apologise before he stood, determined to find the closest coffee machine.

* * *

Ben picked at the bandages on his wrists from where Alex's nails had cut at him. Eagle had long since left to pick up Wolf, and Snake was out having a cigarette. He was alone with his thoughts once again, and he leant his head over the back of the bench with a sigh as he realised how tired he was. He snatched his head upright when the door opened, hoping to see Eagle back once again to fill the quiet of the room.

He was disappointed.

Mrs Jones walked into the room with a nod at him. "You're dismissed of your post Daniels."

Ben blinked at her dumbly, trying to make a sentence that made some sort of sense. Nothing came to him and he stood, his fingers still pulling at a loose thread on the dressing.

"Daniels." He turned at the door and Mrs Jones was looking at him critically, "You are to see Huhne tomorrow at 2pm. We additionally require you and your ex unit to be in my office at 4pm. There is an escort to return you to your premises."

Ben just nodded as he snatched the bag that held his bloodied clothes and slammed the door behind him. He debated going to find Snake before he saw someone determinedly walking towards him, thinking better of it he turned and stalked towards the rear entrance of the hospital looking up when he heard quiet steps settle in to place next to him.

"Sheathy." He said tensely, the woman frowned at him.

"Daniels. You look like shit."

"Wonder why." Ben murmured. Sheath said nothing but smiled grimly at the floor as they walked. "Jones know you're here?"

"Of course." Sheath responded tersely, "I'm not sure you want to hear why though."

Ben just raised a questioning eyebrow at her, and the woman shrugged, her now long hair bouncing with the motion.

"I don't need a baby sitter." Ben reasoned and Sheath shook her head.

"Please, I'm probably the biggest bitch you've met." She stated, "You really think they would send me to look after someone? I'm meant to make sure you get home is all."

Ben felt the familiar tug of humour at the side of his lips. It dropped pretty quickly.

"You're meant to stop me from coming back here?" Ben asked bluntly. Sheath gave him a pointed look and pushed the fire doors open as they reached them in the depths of the building. Ben frowned when he saw there was a driver in the seat already.

"As if I could, or would, stop you if you wanted too."

He said nothing in response and climbed into the car. She didn't look likely to speak and Ben acknowledged the fact that inside this vehicle, there was someone that would relay their words. It was an uncomfortable tension that took hold as they travelled, and Ben felt it dragging at his sleep deprived eyes. He was thankful his place was less than 10 minute's car drive away from the hospital. Any longer and he would probably have demanded they stop so he could get out of that particular atmosphere. Sheath didn't stay in the car like he expected her too when he climbed out. Instead, she grabbed a bag from the boot of the car and slung it over her shoulder before jogging up the steps after him.

"What?"

"One night." Sheath sighed, "Orders are orders."

Ben just opened the door with a roll of his eyes and walked in quickly. Sheath slipped her shoes off and looked around curiously.

"Well," she said quietly. Ben turned to look at her from half way down the hall, "Your place is a right dump."

He didn't respond and walked back into the lounge, deliberately ignoring the blood stains that were on the wall and floor and picked up the opened bottle of vodka on the table. Sheath appeared in the doorway, her eyes widening before going back to watching him carefully.

"What happened?" She asked seriously, reaching a hand out to touch the liquid that would be bound to be dry by now.

"Unfortunately," Ben announced waving the bottle in his hand with a flourish, "That would be classified."

"I have your level of clearance-oh." Her face showed understanding and Ben looked at her enquiringly before she frowned and walked into the kitchen. Ben heard a tap turn on and she appeared a couple of seconds later with a sponge and bowl of soapy water.

He watched curiously as she started to wipe the wall down with the material in her hand. "What do you know?"

"Whispers." Sheath responded turning to him with the sponge dripping on the floor, "If you think people don't talk in our office, you're mistaken. And I'm hoping for the kid's sake it isn't Jones' son as some have suggested."

Ben slumped onto the sofa with his bottle in his hand, "I wouldn't know the gossip."

"Yeah, your absence has been noted." Sheath remarked offhandedly. "You alright?"

"Not really." Ben admitted, immediately she placed the sponge into the bowl that was on the floor before moving over to sit next to him. "Don't know how shit got so fucked up."

"Well, I'm going to assume what was meant to be the worst case, turned out to be a little less so looking at those," she gestured to the marks on the wall. Ben didn't look at them. "So that means he just needs to wake up. Do a debriefing than tell them to go to hell afterwards, right?"

"You didn't see him Sheathy. He flat-lined when we got there." There was a pause and Ben took a swig of the spirit from the bottle.

"We?"

"Unit." Ben responded simply. Sheath nodded thoughtfully.

"Good to know you weren't completely on your own." She said with a tentative smile as she patted him on the knee, he looked at her hand curiously noting the comforting warmth on the blue scrubs he was wearing before it was removed and she stood up quickly. "How about I order us some completely shit takeaway and we watch a DVD?"

"Sheathy, are you asking me to Netflix and chill with you?" Ben asked, it sounded too dead to be banter. Sheath just gave him a pointed look and the man let out a tense huff of laughter as he ran his hand through his scruffy hair.

"You wish, Daniels." She gave him a grim smile as she pulled her phone from her pocket. "Thai or Indian?"

* * *

 _Knock knock knock_

Ben blinked owlishly as the sound cut through his consciousness, it sounded again this time with a yell and he groaned as he sat up, the duvet from his bed that had been draped over him falling to cover only his legs. He shivered and shut his eyes, massaging his temples slowly.

" _Ben. Open up you fucktard."_

Ben glanced into his hallway and stood up slowly, looking around the room. The marks on the wall and floor were gone and all the takeaway containers and beer bottles cleared. It actually looked properly tidy for the first time in god knows how long.

"Sheathy?" he called up the stairs as he walked out into the hallway, frowning when there was no response. He headed to the front door where the knocks were becoming more and more insistent and glanced at the deadlock that was open and wondered if he had forgotten to do it last night. He mentally shrugged and pulled the door open to show Snake and Eagle stood at his door. He stood to one side as they trooped into the house, and he heard Eagles surprise from the cleanliness of his lounge as he walked in.

Ben walked back down the hall with a small frown on his face, glancing in the lounge before walking to the kitchen. Still no sign. He ignored his unit members as they walked into the kitchen and headed for the kettle. Ben ran up the stairs, stopping outside the bathroom to hear if the shower was running and then checking each room. None of them had been slept in.

He rubbed the back of his neck with a confused look on his face before he went to grab his phone and noticed it wasn't in his pocket. Running down the stairs he heard the others congregated in his kitchen.

"Is my phone in there?" he yelled as he walked into the lounge and started to check the sofa cushions.

"Yeah. It's on the side." Snake called back. Ben let out a sigh of relief and walked into the kitchen to see Eagle stood with a half full bottle of whiskey and vodka in his hand. Ben took the phone from Snake and raised an eyebrow at Eagle who was looking guilty as he'd ever seen. The red head shrugged and threw the bottles in the bin that Snake was holding up. Ben just unlocked his phone and sent a quick text.

 _Where you gone?_

"Why are you throwing my stuff away?" Ben asked as he put his phone down on the table. He took the coffee Snake offered with a grateful look and Eagle shrugged. Taking a sip of his coffee, he noted the fact none of them were looking directly at him as his phone beeped.

 _At work. Check microwave. Speak soon :)_

Ben stood up and walked over to the named appliance with a curious eye, pulling it open he was presented with one of the best things a hungover mind could be. He shut the door on the bacon sandwich and he twisted the timer to reheat the meal.

"Whoever your housekeeper is Benjy, we need to borrow her." Eagle stated as he peered in the window with a curious look. Ben just let out a tired huff of laughter and pulled his hand through his grimy hair with a cringe. He glimpsed his keys on the kitchen side by the sink and he pushed past Eagle and picked them up with a frown.

"I thought I put these on the hook." He muttered, tucking them into his pocket. He thought he saw a nervous glance between the other two, and was about to mention it until the microwave pinged his food was ready and the thought was forgotten for a moment. He took a bite of the sandwich, that was somewhat soggy due to being reheated but good enough for its purpose. He looked up as two tablets were put on the table, he recognized them as aspirin and muttered a thank you to Snake as the medic picked up his coffee once again. He chewed thoughtfully trying to figure how both his phone and keys weren't where he'd left them before realisation clicked into place and he took another slow bite from his sandwich before looking at the two men in the room.

"What time did Monica turn up at yours?" Ben asked simply, he wondered if he really did sound as tired as he thought or if his brain was playing tricks on him. Eagle choked on his coffee and Ben just gave him a raised eyebrow before he looked at a sheepish looking Snake.

"Just gone three this morning." Snake admitted, Ben took another bite of his sandwich and nodded gently. He glanced at his phone and wondered if it was worth berating her now or later.

"She asked us to come over." Eagle provided. Ben looked up at him, hearing the somewhat wayward tone he used whenever the woman was mentioned.

"She yelled at you?"

"No. She did square up to Wolf though." Snake explained as he sat down, placing the coffee mug on the table. "I'm not quite sure she's completely sane."

Ben gave a small tired laugh and looked down at the empty plate before rubbing his temples with his thumbs carefully. "I need to shower."

"Go at it then Foxy." Eagle said as he slumped into the seat beside Snake, "We got to get you to your shrink in an hour."

* * *

Ben sat on the chairs with Snake and Eagle to either side of him. He watched as the door clicked open and a suited individual left the office, pausing at the reception desk to be handed a USB stick before he gave Ben a simple nod and walked away. He took a deep breath, his session with Huhne was still pulling at his brain and the nervous glances Snake was shooting at him occasionally weren't helping.

Footsteps approached and he looked up to see Demery walking towards them, Ben noted the lines on his face that had increased in the last year and the tense hand that was offered to Wolf and the others. He himself received a curt nod and Ben returned it carefully.

"How you been, Daniels?" Demery asked as he glanced down at the file he was holding.

"Okay." Ben agreed, "Yourself?"

"Been better." Demery said with that small smile that didn't belong in these halls. "Miss me yet?"

"Jones' is alright."

"Shame about Blunt." Demery whispered in a teasing tone. Ben felt a tense and not completely honest smile move onto his face and the older man gave him a knowing look. Ben stood awkwardly for a second and Demery looked over the group with a frown, his eyes stopping on Wolf. "I heard what happened. Losing one, I know from experience, is hard. Losing two is beyond my comprehension. I'm sorry."

Ben wondered if the atmosphere could have taken a more awkward turn, and he just kicked his foot against the red carpet.

"Thank you." Wolf replied evenly, Ben looked at him. Demery glanced at the receptionist when his name was called for admittance and he nodded once at her with a small smile that seemed somewhat resigned. The man spared them one last glance before he turned for the door. Snake peered around at him.

"Isn't he deputy head?" Snake asked simply. Ben nodded. "Then how does he not know abo-"

Ben shook his head with a nod at the receptionist and Snake snapped his mouth closed with a confused but grim look on his face.

"Good Afternoon, gentlemen." Mrs Jones stated as they entered the room. Ben looked around to see Blunt stood at the side of the desk with a bored look on his face. "Sit."

Four chairs were pulled out almost in unison and they took their seats. Ben noted how uncomfortable the others looked here, he could have laughed. He didn't.

"This is a formal procedure for notification of a change in status as required by your contracts with each of your respective organisations." She started. Ben let his eyes drift to the man stood by the side of her. When he saw he was being watched he didn't remove his eyes, instead just staring back at the cold grey that watched him. Assessed him.

"Firstly I wish to thank you for your actions last night. You did what you were trained to do in a timely manner in a most un-expected circumstance. You all understand that you are entitled by law to not speak in any context about Rider and any operation you may have been a witness too. You all agreed prior to deployment by signing the OSA that any details of the case you were involved in were to remain confidential, by such standards we have deemed it necessary to remove your duty of care from your previously appointed psychiatrists. Going forwards you will have access to our delegated individuals. If you are away, they will be transported to you. Is that understood?"

"With all due respect M'am, SAS psych's are vetted." Snake said simply, Ben tore his eyes away from Blunt to glance at Snake before looking straight back at the cold eyes that were overseeing the proceedings.

"And with all due respect Mr McCarthy, they aren't to our standards." Jones responded simply, "With the change in Riders circumstance, we have been required to re-assess our duty of care with respect to certain individuals who are aware of his presence. Daniels, you remain with Huhne."

"I don't understand." Eagle said, "They are our psych's we've been with them for three years. It's not like we are escorting old ladies across a road."

Ben wondered in the back of his mind why Blunt was here. Normally he was present purely in his and Alex's briefing and debriefing meetings. He'd heard the stories and the suspicions of everyone. He knew the man was dangerous, not just to the body, but to the mind. If he had ever thought that the whispers weren't true, he would've believed them now as the man's eye contact didn't break. Ben wondered what he was planning.

"Noted, but the SAS are a known unit. Rider is an international secret. He undertakes high profile and high risk missions on a more regular basis than you gentlemen clean your shoes." Ben saw in the corner of his eye as Eagle glanced down to his feet. "Agent Daniels will understand better than most why we keep his work, and moreover his personal status, hidden from prying eyes. What you witnessed in Croatia may be discussed between yourselves and your psychiatrists, and no one else. Am I understood?"

There was a mumbled chorus of consent. Ben said nothing, instead he kept his eyes focused on Blunt.

"Why are we here?" Ben asked simply. He thought for a moment he saw Blunts lips twitch at the sides in approval. He dismissed the thought and turned his eyes to Jones. "You've never felt the need to threaten me with the OSA previously. Why start now?"

"That is not for discussion with this audience." Blunt said simply, Ben snapped his eyes back to the man and he narrowed his eyes slightly.

"You don't trust them." Ben stated. It wasn't a question and again he thought he saw that look in Blunts eye of approval and Ben stood up. "The operation was compromised."

"Agent Daniels." Mrs Jones said in a clipped voice. Ben looked at her, "Sit down. As a member of this Establishment you have been trained to be able to restrain yourself from acting impetuously. The rest of you are dismissed."

The silence that was in the room changed to the sound of chairs moving against carpets and the thudding footsteps as the three men left the room. The noise stopped as the door clicked to a close. Ben turned his eyes back to Blunt, before they flicked to Mrs Jones when she spoke.

"Need we remind you, that should you discuss happenings of your missions with those beyond your immediate and in attendance peers, the repercussions will be most severe."

Ben just stared at her warily as Blunt thoughtfully put his hand down on the table.

"Agent Daniels." Blunt said slowly. Ben looked back towards him and tried to stop the raised eyebrow he wanted to give at the man's monotone voice. "From your file I can see that you are a highly recommended agent, who has proven to be steady and calm within the field. May I ask what has changed in a public setting?"

Ben clicked his teeth together tightly and said nothing as he sat back down in his chair. He looked back at the man with a determined gaze.

"I'm yet to view your latest session notes from Huhne and his observations on your current behaviour." Blunt continued carefully, he tapped his finger on the table top as he spoke. "But as it stands right now you are treading a very thin line between that of a skilled agent and someone we would consider dangerous to our cause. I suggest you take advantage of the unlimited access to services we provide to ensure you stay on the right side of that line."

"I'm seeing Huhne again tomorrow." Ben returned, his face calm once again as he looked evenly at the dull grey man. Blunt nodded his approval.

"What we are here to discuss," Mrs Jones said slowly, "Are the arrangements surrounding Rider. And what it is we need from you to secure such arrangements."

Ben blinked and he looked back at Blunt with a plain face, seeing the man's lips twitch at the sides once again.

"We are in a situation where we can't house him." She continued slowly, "We could give him a room here, but it's been agreed that won't be suitable for either party. We could also give him individual housing in a flat externally from the building much like he was a resident of prior to dispatch. However due to the rather extensive injury list we are looking at, we do not deem him fit for residence alone. We need to know he will be protected in whatever surroundings he is kept in, which is why we are looking to you Daniels."

Ben turned his head back to her. "What? He's not staying with me."

"This isn't a request. The house you currently reside in is property of the Royal & General bank. Alex Rider will be staying with you until such a time he is ready to move into accommodation alone that we will secure for him. The thing we need from you is to provide stability. Not this monstrosity you have fallen into in the last 5 weeks."

"His family?"

"Deceased." Blunt stated firmly.

"All of them?" There was no response and Ben looked at the floor with a frown. He hadn't known that.

"The individuals you saw at his "funeral" were people that agreed to take care of him when he was 15. He told us he wanted to move out 11 months ago. We agreed and secured him accommodation to do just that." Jones explained, "Rider takes very little "caring for", he is mostly an independent individual as I'm sure you understand. At most he will require a bandage or two to be changed once he is discharged. If it provides too much of an obstacle to either party, we will reassess at a later date."

Ben felt as he tensed, he knew this wasn't open to discussion and he looked at Blunt evenly. "What do you need from me?"

"A clean report from Huhne. Alex will be discharged in a week."

"Fine. What about assignments?" Ben asked evenly. Blunt was still watching him, it made his skin crawl.

"This is an assignment of sorts." Mrs Jones responded simply. "You will not be deployed until such a time he is deemed fit to reside alone. We are looking at a context of up to two months. Consider it your annual leave."

* * *

Ben climbed out the van as it pulled up to St Dominic's Hospital. In the daylight the interior shone through to the street, looking more like a hotel reception than a hospital. He steeled himself and turned when he felt a hand tap his back. Eagle had the front driver's side window rolled down.

Ben leant against it, and took a deep breath. "Chin up Benjy. You're staying with us tonight."

"Yeah." He agreed, not that it was a question anyway. Eagle just gave an encouraging smile and leant back in his seat, as he revved the engine. Ben stood back from the window with a grim face.

"Wish him the best from us."

Ben watched the van pull back out on the busy London street and he turned to look at the classy hospital reception as he walked in. In the back of his mind he vaguely wondered if he would even be allowed to see his soon to be "roomie" and he set his mind to expecting nothing of the company they both worked for.

"Can I help you?" A cheerful receptionist asked as he approached, somewhere he noted in his sleep hazed mind that she was attractive. Shaking the thought away a second later as the smile on her face morphed to concern when he didn't immediately answer. Ben eased a smile onto his face and hers instantly re-appeared and she relaxed.

"I'm looking for Alex Rider, please."

Ben waited, and he felt like running a hand through his hair but settled for tucking his hand into his pocket. The receptionist looked up and gave him an apologetic smile, he awaited the declination with no surprise on his face.

"Sorry about that." She said cheerily, "Sometimes technology just doesn't want to co-operate. Floor 5, room 12"

Ben glanced up at the camera behind the desk and noticed as it followed his first steps as he walked away from the desk. He was fairly sure slow technology was the issue with the few seconds delay. He bid the receptionist a goodbye over his shoulder and walked towards the silver lifts. He pushed the call button and spared a glance around the open foyer of the hospital. People were congregated in small groups. Some placid, some cheerful, there was an older couple over in the corner that look as though they were in mourning as they exited from the stairwell. He was tempted to muse over what could have caused their sadness, but the ding of the lift interrupted his thoughts.

He looked around the interior of the lift with a careful eye, noticing the artwork at either side that was obviously custom drawn. He smirked slightly as he thought about how dangerous and conceited the job you held within SO was masked by its pretty walls, both here and in the bank. Both buildings had a certain prestige about them, combining the traditional and modern art styles to create something that really was spectacular to see.

He pinched his lips together as he tried to figure which of the two buildings concealed the worst secrets.

All too soon the lift had reached level 5 and he walked out again. Not missing the camera that followed him as he exited the lift this time. He wondered if he should give it a sarcastic wave, before squashing the thought. He could already see the room he was headed towards. Two armed guards were stood outside, the nurses that moved up and down the halls just moved around them as if they weren't there without taking a bit of notice. He recognised one of the guards as he approached and he nodded a greeting to him. The guard just reached out a hand and Ben held thumb out expectantly. The machine that was pushed against his thumb beeped before a green light flashed and the guard stood to one side.

"Good luck, Daniels."

Ben gave him a grim smile before he reached out a hand and pushed the door open, ducking inside and closing it quickly behind him. It was dark inside the room and Ben blinked a couple of times to force his eyes to adjust. The blinds at the window were drawn and the steady beep of a monitor made his eyes drift towards the green line that moved slowly in a motion across it. Cautiously he took a step forwards, making sure his step was light in the silent room. It was the ventilator that caught his eye as the bag extended and collapsed in a rhythmic motion. He watched it curiously for a second, before he looked towards the body it was feeding air too.

Ben hadn't known what to expect, but the amount of tubes and wires weren't the thing that made him stare. It was instead the one larger tube he could see that entered through the stomach rather than an arm or mouth. He watched curiously as he recognized the red-brown tinge to the tubing before reaching his hand out for the clipboard. Ben didn't expect to be able to read the doctor's scrawl notes on the back, but it was worth a try.

He took a final step to right beside the bed to look down on the blonde haired agent with a frown. Ben had never really noticed it before, but people in hospital beds looked small. He knew Alex wasn't, the younger agent was almost his height, falling short by only 1-2 inches. He thought with a twitch of a smile that the young man's hair was getting ridiculously long and was so scruffy it stood on end. It could have made up those 2 inches easily.

Ben didn't reach out a hand to pat it down, or make to touch any part of the blonde in a comforting way. Ben knew he wouldn't feel it, and he was more worried about hitting one of the tubes or wires than doing anything good for him.

Ben turned his head when he heard the door open behind him, not too worried due to the guards being outside and he spotted the white coat of a doctor. Ben nodded a greeting and the stern looking doctor gave him a tight smile as he picked up the chart from the end of the bed before moving to one of the monitor's. Ben didn't say anything instead he just watched and waited for the doctor to finish. He sat down in the chair by the side of the bed, twisting his fingers together with a frown on his face.

"You are his brother?"

"No." Ben returned as he looked up, "I'm his partner."

"In his work?"

"Of course." Ben said quickly, hiding the frown from that comment.

"Well, we can never be too sure." The doctor replied, the man moved for the door and he stopped, "As his partner, I supremely hope these injuries aren't due to your own inadequacies. He's remarkably lucky to be here."

Ben didn't say anything in response, instead he just re-ran the words over in his head as the doctor gave him a stern look and left the room. Ben stood quickly, determining the sound of the heart monitor was disturbing his thought process and _fuck_ it felt like he couldn't breathe in the sterile hospital air anymore. He spared the bed once last serious look, before he turned and walked out of the room, wishing the door opened outwards so he could've seriously inflicted some damage to the men "guarding" the room.

* * *

Ben shoved the keys into the door as he walked up the steps to the unit house. He hadn't bothered to call Eagle as he said he would, instead he'd walked the two hour route from the hospital accompanied by a bottle of whiskey he'd brought from Tesco. It was gone before he'd even stepped foot onto the familiar road. He had picked at the bandages on his wrists and he could feel they were becoming loose as he'd mulled over the doctor's words.

He didn't call hello to anyone that was in the lounge as he walked in, instead heading straight into the kitchen and sitting down at the table. He wasn't drunk, he was close to it, but not quite. He wished he'd grabbed a second bottle when the realisation of exactly what he had gotten himself into hit him.

It had been at about halfway, that the thoughts he hadn't even acknowledged for two years started resurfacing at a rate that was almost overwhelming. He knew what they were asking him to do. He just didn't know if he could do. Ben was pulled from his thoughts when he heard a quiet sigh that came from Snake stood in the doorway.

"Got any whiskey?" Ben asked quietly. He looked up when there was no response to see Eagle watching him with a concerned expression. Ben pulled another long thread out of the loose bandage on his wrist, surprised when the whole thing slid on his arm, showing the cut lines underneath. He pulled it off and threw it on the table, peering at the markings with a small frown. Some were quite deep, he mused, but they didn't hurt. He saw as Snake slid into the seat beside him and Ben looked evenly at him.

"Talk." Snake said simply. Ben let out a huff of laughter.

"About what?" He asked, and really as his mind worked back through all the comings and goings of the last five weeks, he wouldn't have known where to start.

"How's Cub?"

"I don't know. I was only in the room for five minutes and I can't read doctors notes." Ben replied with a sarcastic smile. He watched as Snake glanced at Eagle and he waited for the red head to speak. He didn't.

"So where were you?" Snake asked. Ben shrugged, "Ben, come on. We aren't stupid, I can smell you've been drinking."

"And?" Ben asked indignantly, he stopped fiddling with the one remaining bandage, roughly tugging it off his wrist and threw it with the other one in the middle of the kitchen table. "It wasn't "your inadequacies" that caused any of this, so don't lecture me, Quinn."

"Your inadequacies." Snake echoed dully. Ben looked at him evenly before he dropped his head onto his arms. "Maybe whoever said that was right."

That got him to look up and Ben stared at the medic in front of him, "What?"

"Maybe they were right. I mean looking at you now, this isn't a Ben I know. I don't know what you are capable of." Snake explained calmly. Ben heard Eagle shift behind him awkwardly. "Look, you used to talk to us, and you were a damn sight better than you are now, so talk."

"About what?" Ben asked with a derisive laugh, he felt his blood thump in his ears. He couldn't decide if it was anger or the alcohol. "About Cub? I know nothing about him. I didn't even know the kid had no family Snake. In fact, I don't know him at all. Besides the fact he's a sarcastic and funny little shit if we get ourselves into trouble."

Snake leant back and Ben dropped his forehead onto the table. He heard rather than saw as Wolf walked into the room, hesitating before he flicked the kettle on in the corner.

"I don't even know what they are thinking with this. I can't live with him."

"You lived with us." Snake reminded carefully. Ben looked at him when he tilted his head to one side.

"Why does that even matter?" Ben snapped, "It's completely different."

"Tell Huhne that then." Snake answered dismissively. Ben stared at him and heard the insane laugh. He was surprised that it came from his own mouth, it sounded alien and distorted. Almost as alien and distorted as the last five weeks since everything had turned to complete shit. He knew the rules. He couldn't talk about it. He'd been silent for a moment too long and when Wolf spoke, he wasn't sure if he didn't want to hear the man's opinion or if he'd reached his cut off point where he just mentally stuck a middle finger up at the rules because _fuck it_ he didn't know if he could take anymore.

"Just tell them-"

"That won't make the slightest bit of difference! When I signed my contract I knew about him working for them. That first secondment was on his assignment but they _told_ me his files had been written off to archive, he was sent away and they'd stopped asking him to work for them. I never would have agreed to sign for them otherwise and then one day, the first fucking assignment after I sign a permanent contract guess who shows up? Double O _fucking_ Nothing on my case and he stops me from getting a bullet in the brain by attacking someone who was holding a god damn gun while he was unarmed. And that was it, he was back, after just hearing one tiny bit of information whispered in some park in London he turns up. And I _hate_ him for it."

Ben stood and walked towards the back door before turning back and he just paced back and forth not looking at any of them. To their credit, not one of the men in the room said anything. Ben wondered vaguely if Wolf had left. He didn't bother to check.

"But I shouldn't, because without him, I'd be dead. It's so fucking backwards all the damn time. He went missing on one operation, it took me three fucking days to find him. And when I finally fucking found him, he just sat there and told me everything that had happened as calmly as if he was discussing the fucking weather. It's _fucking infuriating_."

Ben stopped pacing and glared out into the back garden that was darkened by the night sky. Behind him, Eagle gave Snake a wary look. The Scottish man just placed one finger to his lips with a knowing smirk.

"This whole shit show of a job and that fucking kid are going to send me around the twist."

There was silence in the room as he finished and he slumped back into the chair at the table with a sigh. He didn't need to look at Eagle to know the man was unsurprised at his tirade. It wouldn't have been the first time they'd witnessed something of the sort and he knew in the back of his mind that Snake was always the one that managed to goad it out of him. Unsurprisingly he'd walked into it _again_. Ben rubbed the back of his neck uncertainly and he let out a short huff of raw sardonic laughter,

"Well, you've all been asking for over a year. Least if I die tomorrow you know right?"

"Shut up." Eagle reprimanded gently as he placed a glass on the table. Ben eyed it, and hoping to taste vodka he took a large mouthful, instead he just tasted water. He was faintly surprised by how refreshing it was on his throat. He could feel Snake watching him before he leant back in his chair slowly. The silence once again descended and Ben tilted his head back, rolling it from side to side trying to work the tiredness out of his muscles.

"Look, we all saw the same look on his face on that rooftop. He accepted that he was going to die." Ben murmured looking at Eagle as he sat down before he glanced at Snake on his other side. "I've seen that look on and off for the last three years and its so fucking wrong, but what the hell am I supposed to do?"

"Help him." Snake said simply as he stood up slowly, and he patted Ben's shoulder in a gesture that Ben knew was comforting from times of old when he had been the youngest unit member among them. Ben scowled and stood to grab the bottle of vodka he'd spotted on the side when he first came in. Eagle was beside him in an instant and grabbing the bottle he made a show of tipping the liquid inside into the sink. Ben pulled open the cupboard to grab a different drink of _anything,_ only to find it empty. Ben sighed, one hand holding the cupboard open and he glanced at Eagle before turning his eyes to Snake who was stood in the doorway with a sterner than normal expression.

"You're in a shit state, Ben. I'm not going to yell at you, or get mad over anything you've said. I will however do both if you don't sort yourself out." Snake explained calmly, Ben raised an eyebrow at him. "Right now, you have two choices; you go upstairs, get in to bed and catch up on the sleep you've missed without being completely trashed. Or we drag you up there and lock you in."

Ben watched as the two men left the room and he stared after them. He truly was tired, of everything, but he knew they were right. He let out a huff of tense laughter and knew they meant well in their actions and that he could either take it or walk out completely. He knew which he wasn't doing and he headed towards the stairs, pausing by the open lounge door to see both of them sat watching a football match. Ben thought of just walking in and sitting down with them, before he felt an involuntary yawn leave his mouth. He saw the smile on Snake's face and he rubbed his eyes quickly.

"I really hate you guys sometimes."

"We know." Snake replied from where he was watching the TV, it was Eagle that looked around at him with a knowing smile.

"G'night Benjy."


	6. Chapter 6

**Warnings:** Language.

 **Disclaimer:** This is a work of FanFiction using characters from the Alex Rider series, intellectual property and copyright of Anthony Horowitz.

* * *

Ben leant his head back against the shower wall with a sigh. He'd stayed at the unit house for almost a week now. He wouldn't say it to them, but _fuck_ he really did miss them as a team. They hadn't mollycoddled him or even mentioned his most recent tirade. They'd just been there. Well mostly at least. Wolf had insisted on taking up paperwork at SAS HQ London the minute the others had told him Ben was staying with them for the week. He didn't know if he was thankful for it or not. Ben flicked the tap over too cold to force himself to wake up. From the light outside the small bathroom window he guesstimated it to be about 9am and rinsing himself off one more time under the cold spray he grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist.

He wiped the mirror off and stared at the reflection looking back at him that still looked tired. He couldn't help but wonder if maybe he was just getting a bit old. He smiled grimly to himself when he reminded himself he was only 21, before he pulled a towel through his hair and scrubbed it dry, wrapping it around his waist before he walked out of the steamy room.

"Derek, I'm stealing some clothes!" Ben yelled as he crossed the hall. He heard a groan from downstairs and smiled to himself as he walked into the room he'd used for his stay and grabbed a t-shirt and jogging pants. Ben sat on the edge of the bed with a frown on his face, he'd felt better for the sleep. His head had finally stopped hurting like a bitch and he knew that between his unit and Sheath, no matter the discord between them, they'd arranged for the alcohol to be gotten rid of to stop him pushing boundaries that really didn't need to be pushed.

What would happen at the end of the week's stay with the guys he wasn't sure yet.

He didn't leave himself to ponder on it, knowing that doing so would just pull on those tired thoughts of the last five weeks. Instead he pulled the clothes on, throwing the towel on the dirty washing pile that always lingered in the corner of Eagle's room and jogged down the stairs into the kitchen. Snake looked at him with a raised eyebrow and Ben shrugged before he moved straight to the coffee machine.

"Going for a run?" the medic asked. Ben turned with the cup of coffee halfway to his mouth and a surprised look. "You're dressed for it."

"I wasn't planning on it and I haven't got trainers." He wiggled his socked toes. "Could be an idea though. It's been a while."

"I've got spares. 10's right?"

"Yeah." Ben agreed. Snake disappeared into the hall and rummaged in the resident pile of shoes by the door for a second before he threw a pair at Ben's feet with a smirk. Ben kicked them over to one of the chairs at the table and sat down, pulling them on his feet quickly. He glanced up when Snake popped two Ibuprofen on the table. Ben took them without complaint knowing they would prevent the muscle pain he would undoubtedly have after the first run in almost three months and he ran a hand through his wet hair. The medic was watching him carefully and Ben just gave him a small half smile combined with a shrug.

"Go on." Snake nodded towards the front door. Ben finished the last of his coffee quickly and grabbed Eagle's iPod from the side. He stopped in the doorway and turned back to see Snake sat reading the morning newspaper.

"Thanks Quinn."

He didn't stay to see the smile that he received in response and instead jogged down the hall and out onto the street.

* * *

Ben knocked on the door an hour later feeling like he'd just run a marathon. He leant over with a hand on each knee as he saw someone approaching the door through the frosted glass panels. It was pulled open by Snake who just raised an eyebrow and chuckled as he walked in the front door.

"All that desk work has made you lazy." Snake teased. Ben flipped him off and walked into the kitchen. Snake sat back in his normal chair with a relatively fresh cup of coffee in his hand as Ben pushed himself up onto one of the counters next to the fridge and reached over to grab a bottle of water. He winced slightly at the twinge in his legs.

"Give us a couple more of those Ibuprofen will you?" Ben asked. Snake threw the box over from the cupboard behind him and Ben caught them, popping two in his mouth and swallowing them with a mouthful of the water.

"Guess you don't feel better then.

"No. My feet are going to fall off."

"Did you cooldown?" Snake asked.

"If you count one push up from where I pretty much fell over at the front door, then yeah." Ben responded with a smirk, "It'll be better when I go tomorrow."

"Maybe cut the time a bit or run with Derek. He's a good paceman."

"Run with Derek?" Ben echoed with a disbelieving expression, "Quinn, are you trying to make me suicidal?" Snake just laughed and took a drink from his cup. Ben frowned and peered into the lounge from where he was sat, "Where is he anyway?"

"Gone out somewhere. Knowing him, probably for food of some kind."

Ben nodded slowly not believing a word of it, he knew awkward questions were coming his way. But then, he supposed he didn't really mind. He was more relaxed than he had been in weeks. "So you told him to go out so we could talk?"

"Pretty much." Snake agreed, "How's that fitness schedule we made up when you left?"

"Great, I look the best I have done in my very short life." Ben replied sarcastically. He slid off the counter and sat in one of the chairs with his bottle of water, "It was alright for the first few months, then stuff started happening and it kind of went downhill to the point my feet now hurt after one run."

Snake rolled his eyes, "Just pick it up again, you've lost a bit of mass especially the last few weeks. Train with one of us if you need too. Do Special Operations do fitness tests?"

"Yeah of course, just nothing like SAS stuff. I did the SO one straight after getting back from Croatia with no issue at all." Ben took a drink from his bottle, "Grab a glass please."

"Is it just sprints and stuff?" Snake asked with a frown as he grabbed a glass from the cupboard behind him easily and passed it over.

"Yeah, not so much core strength or combat skill." Ben agreed as he grabbed some ice from the freezer and another bottle of water from the fridge. "They do training, it's just nothing new for me. Right now I'm well below what I want for myself attainment wise, but then I guess I wrecked myself pretty bad for the last 12 weeks."

"12?" Snake asked quickly. Ben nodded,

"Six back here after Croatia with a lot of alcohol, six on assignment."

"We've all been there." Snake said gently. Ben shrugged, "Some more than others."

"I do like my alcohol for coping though, let's be honest." Ben stretched his arms in front of him, "And don't say "oh you're young" it's not really an excuse."

"Who cares? As long as it's not excessive, which this time it was." Snake shrugged, "Besides, I hadn't even realised how out of it you were."

"Fucking Monica." Ben muttered. Snake smiled lightly and he leant forwards,

"Serious question, I'm not taking the piss are you and her-"

"Fucking hell no." Ben said with a shake of his head quickly, "Never have, never will. She's just good to be around. Very positive and funny."

"Seems quite clever too." Snake said as he folded the paper. Ben nodded taking a sip from the glass, as Snake looked at him seriously. "Bit too clever to be someone you just happened to meet in a coffee shop."

"I knew you would realise." Ben said with a smirk, "I fucking knew it. How long have you known for?"

"Since she turned up at ours. She seemed a bit too clued on with what was up with you for it to be a coincidence. Also, I know very few people with enough balls to tell Wolf to shut the fuck up."

"She did that?" Ben asked with a small smile.

"She was worried after she brought you back from the hospital, said she'd clear up all the shit overnight and sort you out for morning but that was the most she could do."

"You have her number now don't you?" Ben asked with a sigh.

"Just in case." Snake agreed with a smug smirk, "Anyway, as long as you have someone to talk to in that "shit show" I don't really care. It's your session soon right?"

Ben looked up at the clock and swore as he jumped out of his seat and ran to the stairs, giving Snake a small smile before he ran up to the shower.

* * *

Ben looked around at the busy Costa coffee store that was opposite the Royal & General bank. It was full of suits and high class shoppers taking a break at the busiest time of day. He'd already seen a couple of people he knew walk through the door and it was with a practiced eye that he watched them all do the same thing when they walked in. Scanning the room before joining the queue, not stopping in the act until they engaged with the hostess who would receive a warm pleasant smile and probably the best customer interaction she'd have of any of the clients she'd see throughout the day. There was one agent who walked in though that didn't bother with the act. Ben smirked as she joined the back of the queue chatting on her phone the entire time, even while ordering the coffee and completely ignoring the put out look upon the hostess' face as she paid by card. The phone was always hung up as the drinks were placed on the tray and Ben watched as Sheath turned and made her way over to their normal booth that he'd snagged in the corner before it had gotten too busy. He didn't miss that the grin was hesitant today and he watched with a somewhat disappointed face as she placed both coffees on the table and slumped into her chair with a sigh.

"How mad are you at me?" she asked edgily.

"Really mad." Ben agreed with a straight face, "Both at the fact you managed to obtain their address illegally and that you stole not only my phone but my car as well."

"I made you a bacon sandwich to say sorry!" she said quickly with a frown on her face, it morphed into an apologetic look and Ben felt his face twist into a smile as he let out a laugh at her. He didn't miss the look of relief on her face as she ripped open two packets of sweetener as drained them into her coffee.

"You're a real wanker sometimes Daniels you know that?"

"Says the world's biggest bitch by self-admission." He said with a smirk, "Come on Sheathy, you have to let me get an awkward apologetic look out of you sometimes. It's so rare."

Sheath raised an eyebrow and let out a huff of laughter as she stirred her coffee. "So how you doing?"

"Better." Ben admitted as he took a drink from his cup, "Thanks by the way, you uh, didn't need to clean up the mess."

"Don't mention it. Just make sure you repay the favour the day I fall into a drunken state yeah?"

"Nah I'm going to leave you to get mind raped by Huhne." Ben responded sarcastically. Sheath laughed into her coffee and coughed gently to clear her throat before looking at him.

"What times your session today?"

"In about half hour." Ben shrugged. "Hopefully I won't be escorted out in a straightjacket."

Sheath smiled down at the table and shook her head, "You'll be fine."

"Yeah the guys are good at sorting this sort of shit."

"Mhmm, with that idiot running around I can see it must be real good for your mental state."

" _Derek,"_ Ben emphasised with a pointed look, "Isn't that bad. He's can just be a bit hectic."

"He's ginger. Of course he can be hectic. They're all a little strange." She responded with a smirk. Ben just smiled and shook his head.

"I don't get what's with you two." Ben took a sip from his coffee, "They're convinced we're a thing by the way."

Sheath blanched behind her cup, and she smothered a laugh behind her hand. "Seriously?"

Ben hummed his agreement, his own smile coming onto his face. Sheath rolled her eyes. "SAS aren't known for their imagination."

"I can tell." She responded, picking up her phone when it beeped on the table. Ben had the manners to look away and he glanced at the Bank they were sat over the road from. He took a deep breath as his mind drifted back to what, or rather who, was going to be appearing on his doorstep within the week and he felt himself somewhat deflate. He turned his head back to see her looking at him curiously and he leant forwards in his chair and rested his forearms on the table holding the cup between his fingers with a frown.

"Want a chill out night tonight?" Ben asked simply. Sheath reciprocated the movement with a serious face.

"Nice cover. What's up?" Sheath asked with a frown. Ben shook his head slightly.

"Just need an unbiased opinion on some things, plus a movie and takeaway could be good."

"No alcohol." Sheath insisted, Ben rolled his eyes before he nodded. "Then yeah sure. One other condition, we watch Kingsman." Sheath stated, Ben let out a huff and laughter and nodded. Even though they'd watched it more than once.

"The things I put up with as your friend." Ben murmured,

"Eggsy is fit. It's not my fault." Sheath smirked, "Anyway, one for you on table 10."

Ben glanced over discretely and snorted into his coffee at the blonde woman dressed fully in pink with a Chihuahua in her bag on the table. He still didn't know how she managed to realise that woman was there without scanning the same as everyone else.

"She is kind of hot actually." Ben said seriously. Sheath gave him a deranged look and flicked her finger against his forehead. "You do realise, if I flicked your wrist like that it would probably snap right?"

"You'd have to catch me first."

Ben watched her as she glanced at the door when it opened, she gave the new comer a warm smile and wave, Ben glanced over to see one of the agents they'd both trained with early on. The man gave them both a curt nod before joining the queue the same as most others that came in here from the building over the road. Ben just watched her with an amused expression at her demeanour,

"You are the weirdest Suit I know." He whispered. Sheath grinned at him.

"Thanks." She put her phone in her bag quickly and placed the almost empty cup on the table. "So mine or yours tonight?"

"I don't really want to go to mine. Can we do yours?"

"Yeah that works. I'll be home at 8ish. You going to bring your car so I can get it listed?" Ben nodded as the woman drained her mug and nodded to the bank, "I best get back. I'm fairly sure Jones will carve my heart out with a teaspoon if I don't get something worthwhile on a desk soon." She stood and picked up her bag, Ben smirked as she smoothed her shirt with a disdainful look down. "Fucking Suits. See you."

"See you later." Ben agreed, and he took another sip of his coffee as she walked out of the coffee shop and ran across the road at a speed he was vaguely surprised at considering the heels she was wearing. He smiled to himself and shook his head as he drained the last of his drink. He left a tip on the table and walked out ensuring to cross at a different part of the road and enter through the other revolving door as he went for his remedial with Huhne.

* * *

"How'd remedial go?" Snake called as Ben entered through the door that evening. He kicked his shoes off into the pile with the rest of them and threw his keys on the side with the others before he walked through to the lounge. He smiled at the occupants of the room and dropped his bag to the floor, feeling the smile falter slightly as Wolf looked around at him.

"Yeah, well." Ben said simply. He could feel Wolf still watching him as he slumped down on the sofa next to Eagle.

"You look better." Wolf acknowledged. Ben gave him a nod of acceptance and Eagle grabbed the remote from the side.

"Movie?" he offered, Ben glanced at the clock on the wall and shrugged.

"I'm going out in an hour. Makes no difference to me."

"Where you going?" Eagle asked quickly. Ben considered not saying. They'd seemed to have gotten it into a routine of taking the piss. Apparently he waited too long to say anything. "Eugh. Again. Really Ben, put her down already. It's disgusting."

Ben rolled his head onto the back of the sofa with a groan, "She's a friend. I've told you this."

"He won't believe you." Snake stated with a grin. Ben glared at him.

"I think Fox has got himself into a pickle with the oompa loompa lady." Eagle explained gesturing with the remote in wide circles in the air, "You have yourself an issue of unrequited love. You should squash it."

"What?" Ben asked with a raised eyebrow. Eagle looked at him carefully his face splitting into understanding and he tilted his head to one side with a curious look.

"Oh she's got you under the thumb." Eagle announced.

"Blowjobs." Snake supplied with a sage mocking nod. Ben just looked between the two of them and shook his head with a deranged look.

"Or is it anal?" Eagle asked with a calculating look. Ben snatched the remote from Eagle's hand and yanked the guy that was blocking the view of the TV back onto the sofa.

"Just because you two have never had either." Ben returned offhandedly as he started to look for something to watch. Eagle looked to Snake curiously.

"Both then." Snake deduced. Eagle nodded eagerly. Ben just groaned and threw the remote at Snake who caught it easily, grinning at him as he slumped back on the sofa.

"I don't know why I put up with you idiots." Ben muttered with a smile on his face that slipped as Wolf walked out of the room without a word. He heard as a glass was placed in the sink, before the man's footsteps echoed through from the hallway and as he trampled up the stairs. Ben looked up at the ceiling with a frown as a door closed and he looked back down to see Snake watching him carefully.

"He's not mad anymore." Snake said. Ben rubbed the back of his neck with a shrug.

"Regardless, I'll be back at mine tomorrow night. It'll get a bit less awkward here for you then at least."

"You're always welcome here." Eagle said as he threw his feet up on the coffee table in front of the sofa, "This place is half mine."

"I'll sort it." Ben murmured, "Just let me be out of the way, I don't really want him doing something he'd regret."

"Well, I'm figuring you won't be staying here tonight." Eagle said with a shrug, "Just make sure not to get love juice on my jeans- "

Ben growled and lunged at him. Snake just dragged the coffee table away with his foot from where the pair fell to the floor wrestling, before he leant back in his chair, threw his feet up on the newly claimed table and picked what to watch on TV.

* * *

Ben pulled the car up to the front of the block of flats and passed his keys to the valet as he climbed out, he gave the man a smile as he climbed in and drove his car away. He looked at the front entrance that was pouring light out onto the street before he jogged up the steps, giving another smile to the security guard as the man nodded his head and Ben pushed through the revolving glass door into the expansive lobby. He knew he was being followed in this particular block of flats. When you had this many agents residing in one block, it would have been stupid to not have the highest security. He gave the receptionist a slight wave before he walked briskly over to the lifts and pushed the call button. He spared a glance behind him to see one of the security cameras pointing at him and he sighed. He knew how this worked, your car registration was scanned before you even pulled up outside the building. It was then confirmed as a visitor by the valet man. If it was an unknown number plate it sent a small alarm to the security guards outside. In the case of a delivery, the packages were taken on the door and taken up to the room by one of the staff inside the building, if not you were asked for ID and who you were visiting this would all be checked prior to being allowed admittance to the apartments from the 3rd floor up.

He stepped inside the lift, that much like the one at the bank had an ornate design to it and as the doors slid closed behind him, he heard the same mechanical whir that would be scanning for weapons of any sort. He had none on him today, but prior he had been asked for his agent ID for his firearm. Today there was none of that. He was off active duty and when that happened your weapons were left in your locker. Or so they wished. Ben knew every agent had at least one in their home in case it was needed. You made enough contacts to be able to obtain one easily enough.

The lift dinged for floor 23 and he walked along the hallway and knocked on a familiar door with a casual hand. He saw one man come out from a door further down the hall. The man looked at him carefully before he nodded and walked towards the lifts. He lifted his hand to knock again as the door swung open carelessly, Sheath grinned at him already out of the suit and in a pair of jeans and a simple print t-shirt even though he guessed she'd only just got in by the bag and jacket thrown on the breakfast bar.

"Shut the door." She called over her shoulder as she moved straight towards the kitchen. Ben just smiled to himself as he stepped inside, shutting the door and kicking his shoes off. "Want a drink?"

"What you got?" he asked as he shrugged his jacket off.

"Non-alcoholic beer?" Ben stopped and looked at her with a deranged look, "I like beer but try not to drink on weeknights."

"That'll do, weirdo." Ben commented with a smirk, as he walked over to the sofa in the right hand side of the large room. He slumped on his end that was closest to the wall and he watched as she popped the caps and walked over with both bottles in one hand, passing him his and she slumped into the opposite corner of the sofa. "Good day at work?"

"Boring. People in that dump just don't know how to take a joke." She responded taking a swig from her bottle of Pils. "How was your session?"

"Annoying." Ben admitted, "I have to have dailies this week."

Sheath cringed, "How come?"

"I can tell you if you know how to keep quiet." Ben returned with a serious look. Sheath frowned but nodded nonetheless, "The guy that bled all over my lounge is going to be lodging with me."

He watched as the woman blinked, the frown deepening slightly before she looked at him, "What?"

"And that was my exact reaction." Ben said with a smirk, "I have no clue why."

"There's got to be a reason for it though." She commented, "You work with him?"

"Well, yeah a few times." Ben admitted, "It's not like he's my best friend or anything. In fact I think even saying we're friends is a stretch."

"Not exactly your type Daniels?" She asked with a smile. Ben let out a huff of laughter and shook his head.

"We don't get on all that well. It's a weird situation." Ben explained as he took a drink from his bottle, "You know when you work with someone and you can get on with them okay, but you kind of wish you didn't work with them?"

"Yeah." She agreed, Ben nodded.

"That. I mean it's nice enough on assignment, few jokes, bit of pointless chat. But aside from mission Alex I don't know him at all."

"Alex is his name?" she asked. Ben nodded quickly, "Well, there was a point where I didn't know you. Or where you didn't know your unit."

"Yeah this is different though. I don't know if I want to know him better." Ben said slowly, he rolled his bottle between his hands thoughtfully, "With you and the guys it just kind of happened, like we spoke and that friendship was there. With Alex it's not like that."

"Is it you or him stopping it?" She asked carefully. Ben shrugged,

"I don't know. All I know is last time I had any contact with him outside of an assignment it didn't go so well."

"Well, that's not good. What happened?" Sheath asked with a frown at her beer.

"I tried to offer him some advice and he pretty much told me to go fuck myself." Ben said with a small huff of laughter. Sheath beside him grinned, "Yeah I know, I probably would've done the same thing. But he's young you know, he shouldn't be an Agent."

"How young is young?" Sheath asked with a raised eyebrow. Ben cringed,

"14 when I first met him two and half years ago."

Ben watched as the woman's eyebrows rose in surprise and she gave a low whistle, "Well, shit."

"Exactly. Which is why I tried to speak with him the last time I saw him." Ben explained he frowned when he saw Sheath gave him a deranged look accompanied by a smirk, "What?"

"You tried to speak to someone who is only four years younger than you and tell them they were too young to do the same job as you?" Ben clicked his teeth together and pinched his lips in thought, "Seriously, then you wonder why he went off on one at you."

"He is too young though." Ben said quickly, Sheath shrugged.

"And how would you of reacted in the same setting?"

"I probably would have told me to go fuck myself." Ben muttered before he took another long drink from his bottle. "I think I should've spoken to Quinn about this."

"I'm just being honest with you, if you didn't want me to analyse it you would have spoken with him."

Ben didn't respond to that, he didn't really need too and the woman stood as she drained her bottle to grab another beer from the fridge. The truth was he'd considered speaking with Snake first. Purely because he knew the medic would be honest with what he had to do. But in the end the woman that was popping caps off the top of the beer would be brutally honest and still have a non-biased opinion on Alex. He also wasn't so short-sighted to realise that his own thoughts weren't completely unbiased, in fact they were anything but and as much as he was sure she'd be able to pick out the _real_ underlying issue that would probably be somewhat harsh to his ears. He needed to know what it was.

Ben looked up when he felt a bottle being placed in his hand and he took it quickly, finishing his first and placing the empty on the table.

"Alright." Ben said, "I'll admit I came here because I need your help."

"I know." Sheath smirked as she took a drink, "So go on."

"I don't know what I'm thinking right now." Ben explained slowly, turning to look her with a frown. "Like I know what's there it just doesn't make sense and then I think of something else that completely negates the original thought. It's really hard to explain and it makes me sound kind of crazy."

He glanced to see that she was watching him carefully as she took a drink, but she didn't make to say anything.

"It's just things like I'm glad he's alive but I'd rather he never came back. I'm glad I work with him, but I would rather I didn't have too. I know he's good at it, but I'd rather he wasn't doing it at all." Ben said slowly as he thought of but a few of the things he'd thought of over the last 5 weeks. "It's just really fucking complicated."

"It is," Sheath agreed, "Working with people you care about is a pain in the ass."

"I don't care about him." Ben laughed, Sheath gave him a disdainful look. "There's a difference between care and concern Sheathy. I'm concerned he could die while he's working with me. It's more like a shareholder would be bothered by their investment going to shit."

"Okay so you are _concerned_ about him." Sheath amended with a smirk, "So why?"

"Because there's a high chance it could be my fault." Ben admitted, he watched as she narrowed her eyes at him, "Don't look at me like that."

"You think this is your fault?" She asked with surprise in her voice. Ben rubbed the back of his neck with one hand, "Daniels come on, be rational here, there is no way this is your fault."

"Rationally I know that." He said firmly, "I do. Rationally. But there's just this thing that it doesn't connect somewhere. I could have refused orders or something."

"Well I'm glad you didn't because who the fuck would I speak too when they sacked you." Sheath muttered, "Really though, it's not your fault. Orders are orders and he must have agreed to do the assignments. That part of the choice is completely out of your hands."

"Orders suck." Ben muttered, Sheath smiled slightly beside him. "I do wish he'd never come back though. And that is completely selfish."

"Not really, you feel guilty. The object of your guilt goes away, when it comes back naturally you are going to want it to not have." Sheath took a bit of her drink, "Do you feel guilty because you enjoy the work when you are with him?"

"A bit, but that dulls a bit each time." Ben admitted, he rolled his bottle between his hands again, "It's more when he gets hurt because of something I could have stopped or because of a decision he made like six weeks ago."

"Well would it help if you knew him better, that way you could know why he made that decision or whatever?" She asked curiously. Ben looked at her for a second before he shook his head,

"I don't think that's a good idea. I work with him you aren't meant to have an emotional attachment to people you work with here." Ben explained as he leant his head back on the sofa, "I mean if we worked together and someone wanted to shoot me would you stop it?"

"Fuck no." Sheath responded, Ben mock glared at her, "I'm joking. Of course I would."

"And if you couldn't?"

"Then I'd have to accept it and work through it. It would be harder than if it was just another Suit from the workplace, but there wouldn't have been anything I could do to change it." She shrugged, Ben frowned and looked down at his bottle. "You're four years younger than me as well by the way."

"Three and a half." Ben countered, Sheath raised an eyebrow at him, "But I get what you're saying."

"Thing is Daniels," Sheath said as she tucked her feet up under her on the sofa and turned towards him, "You are thinking of a situation that might not ever materialise. I don't know what you've done in the past or what you've landed yourself in, but trying to pre-empt something like this just doesn't work. You just have to make the most of what you have and accept that people in this company will make debatable decisions they think are right. Such as Alex has."

"Doesn't mean I have to be happy with them." Ben responded as he lifted his head from the back of the sofa. "I don't like these conversations with you, you're so blunt."

"Well I could lie to you and tell you to continue the way you are, but I don't particularly want to turn up at yours every time you get back to find you slumped on a sofa with a bottle in your hand."

"That was uncalled for." Ben muttered as he heard the sharp tone, Sheath looked at him seriously.

"Not really. If you think people are just going to stop caring about you because you feel bad, you're seriously deranged."

"Yeah I know that." Ben agreed quietly, he flicked the top of his bottle thoughtfully, "Why did you go to my unit?"

"Because they know how to deal with you like that. I don't. I can tell you a stupid joke and I can clean your house but it wouldn't really solve anything in the long run."

"Well I came here today," Ben commented offhandedly, the woman smiled beside him, "You're better at this than you realise."

"Thanks, but really, I haven't said anything you didn't already know. I've just been your mirror." Ben looked at her seriously and he thought back over the conversation. He took a sip of his beer and let out a huff of laughter, she smiled slightly at him. "Sometimes we just need to hear someone say out loud the things we already know." She commented with a smile. "So tell me what this Alex looks like. I'm intrigued."

"He's a bit young for you."

"Please. I look like I'm 16 it'll be fine," She responded with a smirk. Ben laughed at that and shook his head,

"You're fucking unbelievable sometimes you know that?" Ben commented as he stood to grab a couple more beers, Sheath watched him and he glanced over the top of the fridge door, "What do you want to know?"

"As much as you do." she said quickly. Ben frowned.

"Well he's couple of inches shorter than me, blonde hair, brown eyes- "

"Muscles?" Sheath asked with a grin, Ben laughed as he removed the caps off two bottles.

"Smaller build than me, lithe I guess is the best way to explain it." He commented as he shrugged and walked back over to the sofas. "Bit quiet but when he does speak it tends to be pretty sardonic. Clever. Annoyingly so in fact."

"Sounds like I might have a new favourite spy." Sheath commented as she took the bottle with a grin. Ben mock glared at her, "So what other stuff?"

"I don't know." Ben replied she gave him a disbelieving look, "Well I found out he has no family the other day but that was from Jones."

"That's kind of sad." Sheath commented. Ben nodded once, "How many assignments have you done with him?"

"Six." Ben responded as he took a drank from his bottle, "We don't really discuss anything outside of assignment business. That's why I'm worried about this crap."

"Well from what you've just said, he doesn't sound the sort to tell someone to go fuck themselves like he did before you worked with him." Sheath said simply. Ben looked at her with a frown,

"No I guess not." Ben agreed, his eyes opened in realisation and groaned letting his head flop back onto the sofa, "I said something to him about his life being with his family. Not with MI6"

"Ah." Sheath said simply. "That is uh, difficult."

"Wow." Ben murmured, "I'm such an idiot."

"Yes. Yes you are." Sheath commented carefully. Ben looked at her sharply. "What? Your words not mine."

"No wonder he went off on one." Ben frowned to himself and lifted his head to look at her, "How do I fix this?"

"You don't." She said with a shrug, "When he gets to yours just act like it was anyone else. I highly doubt he wants any special treatment because he has dead parents. Your biggest issue is going to be getting over your own restrictive thought process to be able to do that."

"Could just treat it like an assignment." Ben commented before he groaned at the knowing smile on her face "You knew that from when I first said I worked with him didn't you."

"Maybe." She replied with a smirk,

"I hate you."

"No you don't. Now when can I meet him?" she asked with a grin, Ben gave her a horrified expression.

"Fuck that. You two would drive me batshit crazy."

Sheath laughed and she shook her head, "It's in my best interests to keep you sane Daniels. I have to have something to look at in the office."

Ben rolled his eyes and let out a huff of laughter. "How long you off field for?"

"I'm being deployed next week." Ben felt a small frown on his forehead and the corresponding pang of worry. She tilted her bottle at him, "There's that, what did you call it, _concern_ again Daniels."

"Fuck off." Ben murmured as she laughed. He took a drink from his bottle. "Where you off too?"

"Sao Paulo." She returned with a shrug, "Should be nice. Yay for sunshine."

"Yay for drugs and gang wars?" Ben offered, Sheath laughed again.

"Not quite. But that sounds badass we'll settle for that. Movie and food time now?"

"Sounds good. You order, I'll sort the movie?" Sheath nodded and got up to get the phone from the kitchen counter. Ben watched her go with a small smile, "Sheathy?"

"Hmm?"

"Not a word." Her face fell into a blank confused expression and tilted to the side. Ben mused how she looked like a lost kid and he laughed.

"About what?"

"Exactly."

* * *

Ben eased the door of the units house open quietly. It was 6am and he wasn't game for another round of piss taking after managing to gain a sore neck from where he'd fallen asleep on Sheath's sofa. He crept down the hall and into the kitchen flicking the coffee machine on with one hand, he spun on the spot when the light came on above his head and Eagle was stood with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Well look what the Fox dragged in." he commented. Ben just gave him a pointed look and went back to making the coffee. Eagle sat in one of the chairs at the table with a smirk, "Good night?"

"Yeah." Ben replied as he turned with a straight face, "Watched a movie, ate takeaway and fell asleep on the sofa."

Ben could feel the disbelieving look on his back and he made two cups of coffee without turning around to look at it. He turned and placed one on the table when they were done.

"Want to come for a run with me today?" Ben asked. Eagle tilted his head sideways. "I want a paceman. I feel slow."

Eagle shrugged, "Why not? Not got anything better to do until we're cleared."

"How long is that going to be?" Ben asked with a frown. Eagle just shook his head,

"Who knows. How long is a piece of string? They'll send us all to HQ in a month or so though for office hours."

"Well that's going to suck." Ben commented, Eagle nodded quickly. "You're going to have to wear a suit."

"Don't remind me. I hate those things." The red head took a sip of his drink. "Are you clear yet?"

"Nah of course not. I don't think I'm even going to make their deadline for Cub's residency."

"Well that's not a bad thing right?" Eagle asked curiously. Ben shrugged.

"Don't know." He looked thoughtful for a second, "They'll probably still proceed with it anyway. Besides, how bad can it be? The worst thing that happens is he is just someone living under my roof and we don't talk."

"Sounds like the situation Wolf takes with him whenever he rooms with someone." Ben laughed and Eagle watched him carefully as the smile fell away quickly. "It will get sorted you know. You were both drinking that night and you were angry."

"I know. I'd just rather it never happened in the first place. I should have more self-control than that." Ben explained, he glanced up as he heard familiar heavy footsteps on the stairs and he stood up quickly, not wanting to get into a confrontation with Wolf before his morning coffee. "Going to get changed for that run."

"Run, Fox, run." Eagle said with a laugh as Ben ducked into the lounge and waited for Wolf to reach the coffee machine before he disappeared out of the other lounge door and straight upstairs shooting a quick grin at Eagle who watched the route with an amused expression.

* * *

Ben pushed his own front door open for the first time in a week and he dropped his keys onto the hook below the hall mirror with a familiar gesture. He kicked his shoes to the corner behind the door before walking through to the lounge. He stood in the doorway for a minute, staring at the spot on the floor where the young spy had been and between the slats of wood he could see the blood. He swallowed heavily and looked around the rest of the room. The blood had been cleaned from the wall beside him, but it hadn't come off completely. He grimaced and pulled the door shut to the lounge before he walked into the kitchen and sat down heavily in one of the chairs. He'd have to get a TV in the kitchen he figured and he leant his head back over the chair with a sigh.

The first thing he noticed about the house was how empty it was, and he wondered if after Alex had stayed, he should look at getting something smaller, at most a two bedroom and preferably a flat. He looked around the kitchen carefully, spotting the glass box that was tucked in the corner full with bottles. He walked over to it with a frown on his face and peered at the multitude of bottles, all whiskey that glistened under the kitchen light. He sighed and reached a hand out to flick the kettle on. He had known coming back here wasn't going to be good, and he knew that a good portion of his actions following Alex's unexpected return were shock but the fact that just not being able to think was available from the store down the road was a tempting one.

He shook that thought away immediately. He took a deep breath to try to assuage the mood the house had put him in and the memory it evoked. He made a cup of coffee before he headed up the stairs to get one of the spare rooms into a decent state for the arrival of his _special guest_. Ben frowned when he realised he didn't even know when Alex was due to be getting here yet, but he mentally shrugged as it gave him something to do.

He paused at the top of the stairs and looked at the two rooms available. One was at the front of the house, that was the smallest, the other was at the back. Ben pursed his lips together and glanced into the room at the back that had a double bed and a computer thrown in the corner with a bunch of messy files on the desk. He sighed to himself and knowing which one would be better suited, he started disconnecting the computer and moving all his work junk into the room at the front.

It took almost 6 hours for all the stuff to be moved and set up in the opposite room for work, and as he threw the newly quilted duvet onto the double bed he let out a long breath. It was almost 1am and as the dregs of the exhaustion he'd been suffering since his "self-punishment" raked at his eyes, he pulled the door closed and headed for his own room. He pulled off his clothes and climbed under the duvet. He stared up at the ceiling, very aware of which room was under his and what had happened there. He forced his eyes closed, not wanting to fall back into bad habits and begged for sleep to take him.

* * *

 _Bzzz_

Ben awoke to the sound of his phone ringing against the mattress the next morning with a frown. He glanced at the clock on the phone and let out a deep breath

"Sheathy." he greeted sleepily. He heard her laugh.

" _Daniels. I woke you."_

"Mhmm." Ben agreed as he nudged his head into his pillow with a sleepy smile.

" _You sound remarkably cute right now."_

"Sheathy. If you called just to wake me up, I'm never speaking to you again." Ben growled as he rolled onto his back.

" _Of course not,"_ there was a pause _, "I bring you news."_

"Hmm?"

" _Your roommate is awake and is due to be discharged in a week."_

Ben blinked owlishly at the ceiling, trying to figure out what she meant. "Oh. How'd you know?"

" _Message for Jones. Just about to deliver it to her now."_

"So, were you meant to call me?" he asked. There was a pause.

" _No– oh shit got to go."_

Ben yanked the phone away from his ear when the dial tone blared from it, and he just looked at his phone conspiratorially and the time that showed 8am. Four hours sleep. Ben groaned and pulled the duvet back up over his head with one hand as he twisted onto his side. He made a mental note to murder the woman at more reasonable time of the day.

He stopped when he realised that meant another five days here on his own, he groaned and rolled onto his back once again. He pulled his phone up in front of his face and squinted at it before he pushed call on a familiar number. He put the phone on the pillow and twisted his head rather than hold his arms up and they flopped back onto the mattress with a thud.

" _Morning Foxy."_ Ben wondered why he'd decided to call Eagle this time of morning with his chirpy voice.

"Make a space for me man, I'm coming back for a few days." Ben murmured into the speaker. There was a pause and he waited trying to stop his eyes from closing.

" _Everything alright? Do you need me to pick you up?"_

"Mhmm, that would be cool."

" _Alright. See you in an hour."_

"Bye." Ben muttered as he stared up at the ceiling blinking slowly. He pulled the duvet over his head again, deciding to get a couple of minutes before the door would undoubtedly be bashed off its hinges.


	7. Chapter 7

**Warnings:** Language.

 **Disclaimer:** This is a work of FanFiction using characters from the Alex Rider series, intellectual property and copyright of Anthony Horowitz.

* * *

Whoever said that waking up from sedation was like you'd hardly even been out in the first place was a horrible liar Alex decided as he first opened his eyes after this latest bout of injuries. He didn't know how many days he'd been in this bed, but he knew it was a few as he tried to flex his toes and they felt stiffer then an 80 year-old man's joints.

The weight of the sheets and woollen blanket on his chest felt like they were suffocating him and he forced his hands to move next to see if he could locate the call button. He found it close to his right hand and after having to concentrate for a few more minutes just to get his fingers to do what he wanted them too, he saw the light blink above his bed as a tribute to his success.

It took less than 20 seconds for a nurse to enter his room and switch the alarm off. He wondered why she didn't immediately ask what he wanted.

"B-" And that was all he managed to get out. He frowned to himself before trying again and just emitting a croak. The nurse was pouring water into a glass and placed a straw in it, he glared at her when she offered it to him.

"Just for the first few sips so you can speak," She advised in a kindly tone. Alex allowed the glare to soften somewhat and took the straw when it was offered, he took a sip before it was taken away and he sucked in air. That was when the glare came back and the straw was offered again. He was surprised to find the nurse just looked slightly amused.

"Not too much," She supplied simply. Alex took a small suck and offered a sarcastic smile. The nurse, Judy he noticed from the name tag, just laughed at him.

"You're very expressive for someone in here," Judy commented. Placing the straw to his mouth again. Alex just crossed his eyes at her this time. The woman smiled and placed the cup down.

"Thank you," His voice sounded weak to his own ears and he frowned. Judy nodded once, "Blankets?"

She immediately pulled the woollen blanket from the top of the covers and Alex let his eyes drift up to the ceiling taking a deep breath. The relief was immediate and he looked down as the woman folded the blanket and placed it on top of one of the units in the room. She turned back and Alex tried to lift his forearm off the bed slowly, she took a step forwards and saw him staring as it almost refused to respond.

"It will take a few hours of being awake for you to function properly," She explained, "It seems you had a bit of a rough time. Would you like more water?"

"Please," He admitted and he took the straw when it was offered without hesitation this time and she allowed him to take more of it. He dropped his head when he was done and the woman gave him a kindly smile.

"You'll be taken off drip feed when the doctor comes around. Do you want me to get your order form to go through before the doctor comes in?"

"No thank you," Alex said quietly. Truth be told, he knew the food in this hospital was good but he was more focussed on trying to move his arm. It would be easier when she was out of the room to be able to work himself into activity. Judy nodded and stood up.

"It's very good to have you back with us Alex. And thank you for the funny face to make my Monday a little brighter," She said with a smile as she refilled the glass of water on the side. Alex leant his head back against the pillow as she left the room and tried to force his left hand up and off the mattress. It took longer than he had expected and way more concentration than it had ever thought it could have to get his left arm off the bed up this elbow but when he wiggled his fingers and all the wires from his arm moved he breathed a sigh of relief. He shut his eyes and started working on the other one, remembering as much as he could about the night he was brought here.

Truth be told, he didn't remember much after getting off the coach in London. The cold was the big thing he remembered and being very slow. Other than that it was more of a fog haze, he remembered people shouting, including himself. A warm hand on his wrists. That hand that brushed his hair. Just small non-descript things that gave no indication as to who had managed to get him to a hospital.

Alex looked at his right arm that was now up and off the bed the same as the other one had been and he flexed his hand into a fist, before releasing it and starting on the legs.

* * *

"You're back," Snake stated as Ben walked into the room and threw his bag to the floor that afternoon. Ben just nodded quickly and sat down on the sofa seat he always took with a sigh. Eagle walked in and threw his keys on the coffee table before he snagged the seat the opposite end of Ben's sofa.

"Any particular reason why?" Snake asked.

"I need a smaller place," Ben replied vaguely. Snake frowned and looked at him seriously. "Eugh stop analysing me."

"Then tell me the real reason why," Snake returned easily.

"It's stupid," Ben muttered as he picked up the remote and flicked the TV on. Snake raised an eyebrow at him and Ben took a deep breath, pointedly ignoring him. He waited for a count of 30 before he cracked. "I couldn't get to sleep alright? I just kept thinking about the state of the kid on the floor of my house and no before you ask, I didn't go to the local for a drink."

"Alright," Snake said holding his hands up with a surprised expression.

"That was almost a teenage strop," Eagle teased with a smirk. Ben rolled his eyes and dragged his hand over his face.

"Yeah well, I had four hours sleep and a rather pleasant call this morning to tell me Alex is awake," Ben explained as he rolled his head onto the back of the sofa and shut his eyes. The silence dragged on and Ben opened one eyes to see Eagle giving Snake a pointed look, "What?"

Eagle snapped his head round and his face was going red. He gave Ben an apologetic look and shook his head. Snake leant forwards in his chair, "Have you considered ever dropping back to SAS?"

Ben stared at him, "What?"

"Well, think of what it looks like from our point of view Ben, you're struggling right now. What they are asking you to do by looking after Cub is bloody ridiculous by all counts. Especially considering he was the one who triggered you this time. I have an idea of what's wrong, but the fact something like this is affecting you this badly isn't good."

Ben just blinked at him stupidly before he gave a short disbelieving laugh, "I thought he was dead. I'd accepted he was dead then he shows up dying on my floor. I didn't expect to be dancing the fucking cha-cha slide the next day you know?"

"I'd totally film that for blackmail," Eagle murmured. Ben just gave him a mock glare.

"Look, all joking aside, it sent you into shock. What if that happens on an assignment?" Snake said seriously, Ben just looked at him with a raised eyebrow, "I'm allowed to be concerned here."

"It's completely unwarranted," Ben said dismissively, "I haven't been cleared by Huhne anyway and they already said I won't be doing an assignment while he's there. I'm just not keen on being in that house at the moment."

"And that's going to be better when he gets there?"

"It's someone else in the house. Disbelieve this all you want, but there is no way that Alex is going to be seeing me in that state."

"Right. And you don't think he's going to ask questions?" Snake asked dubiously.

"Hence why he won't see it," Ben said simply, "He's curious. If he spots something questionable then his curiosity will get the better of him."

"Sounds like you," Eagle teased, Ben frowned and look at the carpet as he kicked his foot against the coffee table gently in thought. "I'm sure there will be things he does that will spark that nosy fucker in you as well."

"Well yeah, but I'm 90% sure I'd never get any answers even if I ask him. I've tried to speak to him about stuff outside of assignments before and it didn't go so well. I'd rather just keep the talk somewhat amicable."

"So you're just going to treat him like a lodger?" Snake clarified after a pause. Ben nodded and shrugged.

"Why not? That's all he is."

* * *

"Alex, what are you doing?"

Alex snapped his eyes to the door and rolled himself back down onto his back a little harder than he's expected too and winced as he felt it pull on the bandage over his chest.

"Moving," He responded simply. Mrs Jones walked closer and sat in the chair beside with bed with a frown.

"Has a doctor been in to see you?"

"Not yet," He responded tersely. He warily looked at the woman as she put a peppermint in her mouth. "You want to do my debrief?"

"Yes, Alex."

Alex jabbed his finger on the button and Mrs Jones raised an eyebrow at him. The door behind them opened and Alex thought he saw a blonde woman trying to peer in the door as nurse Judy entered.

"Hello Alex, what can I get for you?" Judy asked with her normal pleasant manner he'd witnessed earlier that morning.

"Can you sit me up please?" Alex asked with a small smile. Judy frowned and she gestured at the doctor's notes.

"I can't until you've seen the doctor I'm afraid."

"Okay. Wait there," Alex said, the nurse gave him a confused look and he grit his teeth and pulled his back up from the bed. "Can you prop the bed up then? I'm sure you don't need doctor permission for an inanimate object."

Judy looked at him curiously where he was sat up and she shook her head slightly as she walked forwards. Alex saw the faintly curious expression on Mrs Jones face while the nurse did as she was asked. It was only a second or two and Alex leant back against the now upright bed gratefully.

"You will get me into trouble," Judy admonished with a small smile before she refilled his glass and Alex just gave her a returning smile as she left the room. He waited until the woman was fully out of the room before he looked at Mrs Jones again. The woman was watching him carefully and he raised one eyebrow at her, deliberately telling her to _hurry up_. Surprisingly she obliged and Alex leant his hands on his lap with a blank face when she looked back.

"You understand how you got to this location?" Mrs Jones asked. Alex gave her a confused look. "I want to check before I notify you of an arrangement later on."

"I remember details up until I got off the coach into London," Alex returned simply. Mrs Jones seemed to jot it down on her pad and she looked up.

"In that case, allow me to notify you that you found your way to Agent Daniels premises by foot. He was accompanied by his unit on that night and between three of them they delivered immediate medical treatment while transporting you here."

"Okay," Alex replied. The unwavering voice belied what he thought. Internally he grimaced as he thought of how awkward that would have been. For the first time he was thankful he couldn't remember his little escapade as no doubt the damage to his pride would have been on a cataclysmic level. He took a deep breath. "Which two with Ben?"

Mrs Jones glanced down at a piece of paper on her lap. "I believe that would be Eagle and Snake, as you would know them."

"Right," Alex agreed he wasn't surprised there was no Wolf, glad of it in fact. He didn't want to owe the man any favours.

"So Alex. Explain to me the details of what happened in Croatia," Mrs Jones said dully. Alex just looked at her evenly.

"For the real basics I messed up the drop, ended up on the opposite building by mistake after one of the guidance toggles on my parachute got caught. It was quite lucky, we'd been compromised."

Mrs Jones, who was scribbling on her pad looked up at the last word. "Explain."

"Wolf's group were apprehended on the roof of target building one. Cougar or Agent Stevens, was the only one who managed to get away from the rooftop. I'm not sure how as there was only one entrance. I was in building two heading towards the target intel as requested. It wasn't there. But there were approximately 12 boxes of explosives lined up in the hallway outside of where we were due to be placing the charges."

"How much would you guestimate?"

"Medium blocks. Probably around 4-6 to a box. Enough to blow the building to hell and back," Alex reasoned.

"And Agent Daniels?" Mrs Jones asked.

"Agent Daniels was also being held in block two. I overheard a conversation in one of the hallways after attempting to retrieve the intel. I hid in one of the boxes as they were discussing what to do with the prisoner," Alex explained calmly.

"And you went to get him?" Mrs Jones asked interestedly. Alex felt the frown on his face.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?"

"Just for clarification Alex," Mrs Jones responded. The blonde narrowed his eyes at her and pushed his lips together. "Carry on from after the helicopter has left." Alex raised an eyebrow at her. "We have 4 corresponding debriefs of the events on the rooftop. We do not require another."

"After the helicopter left?"

"Yes Alex," She responded tersely. The blonde smirked.

"I was shot. I went to sleep for a long time."

"How long?" Mrs Jones asked seriously. Alex gave her a deranged look, "It's 20th February today for reference, you have been in hospital for 7 days."

"That would be approximately 4 to 4 and half weeks then. I can't give a definite, I was in a room with no windows. The bruises are because they wanted to convince me to give Ben's name," Alex stated plainly.

"Did you give his name?" Mrs Jones edgily. Alex raised an eyebrow at her that she responded to with a pointed look.

"No of course not. I gave them Cougar's," Alex replied quickly, he took a deep breath, "Do I have to go through how I got back?"

"No Alex. We found the stamps in the fake passport Agent Daniels passed over with the Biosyn file and gun."

"And the flash drive?" Alex asked. Mrs Jones fixed him with a serious look.

"Excuse me?"

"Guess not then," Alex muttered, "You might want to check the trousers I was wearing when I came in. There is a flash drive in the right hand pocket. I don't know what's on it."

Mrs Jones placed her pencil down on her notepad with a calculating look on her face. "Very good. Thank you Alex. Do you wish to discuss what has happened here with your person since your departure?"

"People think I'm dead again?" he deadpanned. Mrs Jones looked at him carefully.

"The Pleasures and Mr Thomas Harris do yes, we felt there was a steady enough case to proceed with funeral services following the other debriefs. The cover up was a motorbike accident in central London. Your name was not released in the coverage for obvious reasons. If you wish, we can arrange for them to be notified of your current status."

"The Pleasure's are still living in Cheyne Walk?"

"Yes Alex."

"Best tell them before I meet them on the street and give someone a heart attack," Alex stated plainly. "Anything else?"

"Your flat is currently unavailable," Mrs Jones said as she crossed her hands over her laps, "In addition we do not feel you fit to residing alone with your current injuries. We understand you dislike the hospital, so we have arranged someone for you to stay with. If- "

"Who?" Alex asked quickly. Mrs Jones rearranged her hands.

"Agent Daniels."

"What? I'm not staying there," Alex stated immediately. Mrs Jones almost, very slightly in her eyes, looked somewhat amused. Alex wondered why.

"I can assure you, Daniels will allow you to do as you wish. It's just so that we have firepower in the house while you recover and as he is on indefinite leave currently until he is cleared for field work, it kills two birds with one stone."

Alex glared at her, "Do I get a car at least?"

"Of course. The minute you are clear to be driving once again we will ensure the car is delivered to your residence from Stryker's."

"And college?"

"Mr Harris was the only one of your peers to be aware of your memorial ceremony. I'm sure there will be no issue with you returning to Brookland to continue your education. This will of course be checked and alternatively we can look at a private tutor. I presume that is all?" Mrs Jones stood and crossed her hands over her notebook to give him a chance to speak. He didn't bother.

"In that case, enjoy your rest Alex. We'll see you soon," Mrs Jones was walking towards the door the minute she finished speaking and Alex watched her go with an impassive face. It was when the door clicked closed that he leant his head back and took a deep breath. The tiredness from the short debriefing and the following updates were clawing at his eyes and he looked down at the sheet he had over his legs. Mostly he was okay with the updates, all except one:

Benjamin fucking Daniels

Alex closed his eyes, trying to ignore the annoyance at that particular notification and drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Ben rolled himself onto his front on the sofa bed that they'd set up in Eagle's room again with his eyes clenched closed as the red haired man yanked the curtains open. Ben waited, tensed for what he knew was coming and when he felt the movement above him, he swiped an arm back and out of the cover. He felt it connect with skin and Eagle groaned from somewhere behind him.

"Wanker."

"You opened the damn curtains," Ben muttered into his pillow, he lifted his head carefully, "What time is it?"

"Time for you to go see Cub," Eagle returned with what Ben knew would be a grin. Ben just pulled the cover over his head with a groan.

"Piss off."

"Nope," Eagle said simply. Ben felt the duvet move and he grabbed at it over his head. Eagle yanked on it and Ben felt it pull his hands back at an unnatural angle.

"Eagle. Fuck off," Ben said loudly into his pillow as he tried to pull the duvet back. Ben felt it go slack in his grip as the door opened and he smirked into the pillow at his victory.

"Derek, stop being an ass. Ben, get up already it's midday," Ben groaned all thoughts of the duvet victory gone at the sound of Snake's voice and he moved the pillow from his head blinking carefully to clear the sleep from his eyes.

"Don't make me give him permission to get you up with water," Snake cautioned. Ben rolled over with a scowl on his face, and he stared up at the ceiling. "10 seconds."

Ben pushed himself up with a frown and blinked at the pair that were stood near the door dumbly, before he rubbed his eyes with one hand, pushing the cover off his chest with the other. "Why are you making me get up?"

"I'm going to the gym," Snake said with a shrug, "Figured you'd want to come."

Ben just hummed his agreement and leant back on his elbows. Snake raised an eyebrow at him and Ben nodded sleepily as he swung his legs towards the edge of the bed with a sigh. "Fine. I'm moving."

"Good. Ten minutes and downstairs or I'm giving the idiot a bucket," Snake agreed as he walked out of the room with a wry smile. Eagle grinned and Ben glared at him through sleepy eyes.

"You look like you're in pain," Eagle commented in a tone too cheerful to fit the words. Ben gave him a disdainful look as he got to his feet and stretched with a yawn before he rubbed the back of his neck gently.

"Can I use your gym crap?"

"Go ahead. He's going to push you pretty hard though. So try not to die in it," Eagle said with a shrug, "Would be annoying to have to buy new stuff."

Ben watched him go with an amused look, hand still resting on the back of his neck before he turned to the dresser and grabbed the tracksuit bottoms and a t-shirt. Ben sat back down on the edge of the bed with a sigh and looked at the pillow longingly before he rolled back onto it and shut his eyes. There was a thud through the floor and Snake's voice drifted up from downstairs.

"Five minutes Ben!"

Ben slammed a foot against the floor in annoyance, and he heard Eagle's laugh from downstairs as he grabbed the t-shirt and pulled it over his head with a growl. He wandered through to the bathroom, rubbing at sleep hazed eyes and brushed his teeth as he looked blearily at his reflection in the mirror. He was looking better, there was no doubt about that and he knew the others meant well but there was one thing they were pushing he wasn't okay with. Ben rinsed his mouth and pulled on the tracksuit bottoms before he turned and walked down the stairs. He picked up his trainers, the one piece of sports gear he'd actually brought with him and walked back along the hall into the kitchen at the end.

There was already a cup of coffee ready for him on the table, same as there always was and he slid into the seat with a glare at Eagle.

"Your face will get stuck like that. I'm sure Monica would be most upset," Eagle said offhandedly as he took a bite of whatever sandwich he'd made. Ben just gave him a disdainful look as he took a drink from his mug, relishing the black coffee and leaning back in his chair. He looked at Snake who was watching him with an amused face.

"What?"

"I forget how much of a nightmare you are to wake up," Snake returned with a smirk, "Almost worse than Luke."

"Ain't nothing worse than Wolf in the morning," Ben muttered as he took another drink and he yawned. "Where is he?"

"Overtime," Snake responded simply. Ben raised an eyebrow at him, "Don't ask. He's stroppy as shit."

"Only because he went to try and see how Cub- ow. Motherfucker," Eagle murmured as Snake kicked his shin. Ben looked between them with a curious expression and he felt an amused smile on his face.

"Luke," Ben said carefully to clarify through his sleep hazed brain, "Wolf, tried to get in to see Cub?"

Snake gave Eagle an annoyed look before he nodded. Ben just laughed in disbelief, Eagle gestured at him with his sandwich. "See? I told you he'd find it funny."

"It is," Ben agreed through his laughter, Snake gave him a questioning look and took a deep breath letting out one huff of laughter, "He had no hope. Alex is MI6's fucking golden-boy."

"That explains the escort out," Eagle commented through his mouthful. Ben looked at him for a second and Eagle gave him a serious nod before he started laughing again. Snake rolled his eyes,

"Least he bothered," Snake said with a pointed look. Ben clicked his mouth closed immediately, hearing the tone of accusation in his voice. "Take it as you will, none of us are so stupid to think we'd be here if it wasn't for him."

Ben sat up in his chair with a grimace at that statement and he gave the blonde a curious look. "Is this your way of guilt tripping me into seeing him?"

"Not intentionally. I told Eagle to not mention it," Snake said with a shrug. Eagle shook his head quickly and held his hands up in front of him defensively.

"Don't bring me into this."

"You brought yourself into it with your big mouth," Snake retorted calmly before he looked back at Ben, "I get you are apprehensive about going to see him. But if he's going to be staying with you do you not think it's a good idea?"

"No," Ben said with a shrug, Snake gave him an exasperated look. "I don't Quinn. I don't want to see the shit state he's in, I'll see him when I pick him up."

"Well from what you've said it doesn't sound like he's going to be all that happy about the arrangement. Maybe you should offer the interaction first rather than making him think it's going to start on bad footing?" Snake reasoned. Ben smirked and shook his head, "If it was the other way round how would you feel?"

"It would never be to the other way around. I just come to you lot," Ben muttered as he took another drink from his coffee to hide the scowl. Snake leant back in his chair.

"You Ben, are way too damn stubborn," Snake said with a sigh. "Just think about it. Doesn't have to be today."

Ben rolled his eyes, knowing that it would be something he'd consider and come to the same answer about but he waved a dismissive hand anyway, "Fine."

"Good," Snake agreed as he stood up, "Let's get to the gym then runt."

Ben glared at him as Eagle let out a bark of laughter and Ben turned the look to him before he pulled the trainers on, drained the last of his drink and followed Snake out of the door.

* * *

Alex let out a sigh at the ceiling of his room, he'd never liked hospitals. They smelt funny, they were all too white and the people that walked up and down the corridors constantly woke him when he tried to sleep. His nurse had been in and out most of the day, finally removing the painkiller drip from his arm this morning and Alex had been surprised to find there was very little residual pain left over now. But then, by Jones' timeline, the initial gunshot wound would have been almost seven weeks old by now so it had undoubtedly healed internally through Ibrehim's "care". He was sore from the bruises but it wasn't overly bad all things considering, he was well aware it could have been a lot worse than just a beating.

Alex leant his head back against the pillow and raised an eyebrow at the clock that showed 1am. He hadn't had any visitors since Mrs Jones had been in, and he couldn't find it in him to be overly bothered. He knew that Tom and the Pleasure's would have been notified already, but he also realized that they probably wouldn't be allowed access to his room even if they wanted to see him. The guards he'd spotted the first time he woke up were gone after Mrs Jones departure and he was thankful for it.

Alex pushed himself upright on the bed slowly, knowing that although he didn't hurt as such that a jerky movement could cause a stab of pain that he didn't want to feel. He paused before he removed the fluids drip into his arm gently and grabbed a swab from the pot and held it over the small pinprick opening. He eased his legs out of bed looking around at the pile of clothes on the side that had been left in place of the one's he'd travelled back to the UK in. Gently he put his legs down and took a tentative step, happy to find that his feet responded as he stood up and took another step along the side of the bed towards the cabinet that had the clothes on top of it.

He picked up the jeans, t-shirt and underwear from the pile and eased himself into the seat at the end of the bed that had stayed in place since Jones had been in and tentatively he pulled the clothes on, the worst was the underwear and jeans he realized as he had to lean over the binding on his torso pulled tight over a bruised back and front. Overall he assessed he really wasn't in a position to be bed bound for another two days, and as he pushed himself to his feet and headed for the door that was all that mattered. Alex checked the hall before he walked out of his door and turned away from the nurse's station. He was shuffling a little and he forced himself to pick his feet up and straighten his posture to normal. That was a little harder to manage but by the time he reached the stairwell three halls along, he'd managed it without his feet dragging along the floor. He took a deep breath before he pushed through the stairwell door and started the walk up them towards the roof. He wasn't sure how long it took, but by the time he was stood by the rooftop door, he could feel his breathing was heavy. He paused and shut his eyes, before he pushed away any tiredness and pushed the door open with one hand.

Alex felt the cold February air wash over him and he took a breath into his lungs with a relieved sigh as his bare feet moved over the roof top. He urged himself to pick up his feet when he felt a toe scuff across the surface as he walked over to one of the benches and sat down, leaning his head over the back of it as he heard the sounds of London town drift up from below him on this Sunday night. He remembered back to when he'd first come back here after a few months in America and he felt that familiar wash of _home_ that he'd had back then again. He felt a small smile come onto his face as he heard people yelling jovially from a street somewhere distant and a siren blared from below where the A &E stand was. He knew room checks happened at 2am, he'd pretended to be asleep through the last 4 days of them and decided he was staying here until they came to find him and take him back to his room. It wouldn't be long he figured, the stairs had taken longer than he's expected them too but as the first spattering of rain hit his face he heard the door to the roof open and pulled his head up with a sigh.

"Mr Rider?" A male porter asked carefully, almost cautiously. Alex pushed himself to his feet and made his face back into a casual teenager's smirk.

"Alex," He provided calmly, the porter smiled at him and he returned it half-heartedly as he walked back over to the man who would take him back down to his room. He took one last look behind him before he was ushered inside and offered a chair. When he refused he was guided to the lift instead, Alex turned as the doors closed and he just gave the porter an amused look when he mentioned the weather. As he climbed back into the bed and the porter re-attached the IV with a gentle child worded scold he scowled and turned over, determined to get a couple of hours sleep before the morning checks started so he could leave.

Permission or not.

* * *

Ben tipped his head forwards under the shower and let the water hit his shoulders where he'd worked with Snake at the gym for the last five days with an appreciative hum as it eased away some of the soreness in his muscles.

Eagle hadn't been joking when he said Snake was going to push, but already he could feel that uplift from the exercise and the work it was doing to him after he'd slacked so hard in the weeks before. He leant his head back again and grabbed Eagle's shower gel and scrubbed it over his skin roughly, thankful that the man had the sense to buy something that smelt half decent before he flicked the shower over too cold to try to ease any of the residual pains from worked muscles. Ben stopped for a second when he heard a familiar ring and stuck his head through the curtain.

"Is that my phone?" Ben yelled. He heard Eagle call back the affirmative and he rinsed himself off quicker than normal and grabbed a towel. Tying it around his waist he scrubbed a hand through his hair quickly to get rid of most of the water before he walked out of the bathroom and down the stairs. The ringing had stopped and he glanced in on the lounge table before he saw a hand holding up his phone through the kitchen door. Ben unlocked it as he leant against the counter with Eagle giving him an amused look.

"What?" Ben asked distractedly. Eagle just let out a huff of laughter.

"You look wrecked," Ben looked up at him and shrugged,

"Sore," He admitted, as he pushed redial on the number, "Feel better for it."

Eagle nodded as Snake walked into the room, hair wet from his own shower in the main bathroom and the Scot held up the kettle. Ben nodded his response and waited for an answer on the other end of the line.

" _Royal & General can I take your account number?"_

"165485. Ben Daniels," Ben responded with a yawn and he took the mug of steaming hot coffee with a thankful look at Snake as the man sat down.

" _Putting you through to Mrs Jones sir."_

Ben rolled his eyes and made a chatter motion with his hands at Snake when he raised an eyebrow. "Mrs Jones."

" _Agent Daniels. You aren't at home."_

"No," Ben didn't offer an explanation, and he heard the pause as if she was waiting for one, "Any reason?"

" _Alex is currently outside of your premises."_

"What? He's not due out until Saturday," Ben said as he stood up straight and blinked, the phone was hung up and Ben stared at the screen for a second with a confused look.

"Everything alright?" Snake asked carefully.

"I got to go," Ben placed the cup down with a hiss and a whispered curse when the liquid tipped over the edge of the cup in his haste. Snake raised an eyebrow at him that he ignored as he walked out of the room and ran up the stairs, grabbing the first clothes he could find. He shrugged on the t-shirt and jacket. Grabbed the first pair of jeans in the mess that was Eagle's room and a pair of socks, pulling them on with one hand as he hopped towards the stairs. He went to run back down them, almost straight into Snake who had a frown on his face. Ben grabbed his arms quickly to stop him falling backwards and gave him a serious look. "Can I use your car?"

"Sure. What's happened?" Snake asked as Ben eased past him and ran down the stairs, Ben looked up at him with a frown.

"Alex discharged himself," Ben said as he yanked his trainers on roughly, Eagle appeared from the kitchen with a serious look.

"Well where is he?" Eagle asked, Ben looked at him as he grabbed Snake's key from the bowl by the door.

"Sat on my fucking doorstep," Snake took a couple of steps down the stairs, Ben glanced at him before he pulled the front door open and ran through it.

"Ben you have to- " Snake stopped as the door slammed closed, "-take him back to hospital."

Snake turned after a second to look at Eagle who just gave a small shrug in response. Snake looked at the door as the squeal of tires sounded from outside and he gave Eagle an amused smirk as the red head let out a huff of laughter.

"Good start."

* * *

Ben pulled the car up to the curb, cringing when the call was almost too close with his own car in front of it and he spotted the small figure sat on the stairs to his house. He pushed the door open roughly and slammed it closed with more force than necessary to get some of the frustration out as he jabbed a finger on the lock button over his shoulder. Ben made his steps heavier on purpose as he approached, but the mop of scruffy blonde hair didn't look up like he expected it too. Ben hesitated for a second, not sure what to do when he reached the smaller figure. Alex's head was ducked against knee's that had been pulled up in front of him where he was sat on the top step with his back to the wall of the house. Ben frowned as he tried to recall Alex's safe word before he mentally swore and just reached a hand out to touch his shoulder.

Alex's head jerked up and winced as it smacked into the wall behind him, Ben could have laughed had he not been so annoyed. He crouched by Alex's side, sending a natural smile to the people that walked past on the pavement below.

"Watch it," Ben murmured, as he turned his head back around. Ben felt his breath stop when he saw serious brown eyes looking at him that had obviously just woken up, but it was the mottled purple and yellow skin that made him falter in his anger and annoyance. Alex offered him a grim look.

"Hello Ben." Alex said simply, his tone was measured Ben noticed and he nodded a greeting carefully. Ben removed the hand he realised he still had on Alex's shoulder and the blonde raised an eyebrow at him.

"Back to hospital," Ben said firmly as he stood up and held out a hand.

"I'll just leave again if you take me back," Alex said as he pushed himself up slowly, ignoring the offered hand and instead using the wall to lever himself up. Ben spotted the papers on the floor where he'd been sat and he picked them up. Alex held his hand out expectantly and Ben gave them over, catching the Math notes written on Brooklands headed paper and he sighed.

"Are you kidding? You've been to college?" Ben asked incredulously. Alex levelled an even look at him and Ben ran a hand through his hair, taking a deep breath before he pulled his keys out and opened the front door. "Get in."

Alex gave him a mistrusting look and Ben rolled his eyes, stepping through the opening first and turning with an expectant expression. Alex stepped through carefully and Ben noted the side he was favouring and that the toe of his trainer caught on the doorstep. Ben silently hoped for him to not sway or fall over and once Alex was in, he pushed the door closed quickly. Ben hung the keys on the hook and he could feel Alex watch his every move as he pulled his jacket off before he turned and leant his back against the door with his arms crossed.

"Why did you discharge yourself?" Ben asked seriously. Alex's lips pinched together and Ben rolled his eyes, "If you're injured you should be in hospital."

"They arranged for me to stay here because I don't like hospitals," Alex returned with a shrug. Ben caught the quickly concealed wince from the shrug and he hid his own frown he felt wanting to move onto his face at the tired edge to Alex's voice.

"And what do you expect me to do if you aren't alright? I'm not a medic," Ben asked calmly. Alex scoffed.

"I'm fine."

Ben felt himself tense at those two words and he knew it wouldn't be missed, so he stood himself up to full height and walked forwards stopping at the bottom of the stairs. "You want food or you want to sleep?"

"I have homework," Alex responded simply. Ben turned to look at him with a puzzled expression.

"You looked wrecked and you're worried about homework?" Ben questioned in an amused tone. Alex just shrugged a response and Ben hid the annoyance he felt as he gestured up the stairs. "I'll show you your room then." Alex looked at the stairs with careful eyes and Ben crossed his arms. "If you fall over I need to be behind you."

"I won't fall over," Alex stated with a plain expression. Ben rolled his eyes and swung himself on the banister.

"Your neck," He muttered as he felt the smirk Alex sent at his back. Ben tried to calm himself in the short walk, waiting at the top of the stairs as he looked down at the bruised face that had its lips pinched together and eyes that were concentrating far too much for him to not be in pain at the simple act. Ben noticed the hand grip that was tight on the railing and the way Alex's eyes blinked slower than normal from tiredness as he reached the top, his breaths that were shallow but almost forced in timing. Ben just walked the couple of paces to the bedroom he'd made up and pushed the door open with one hand. Alex walked over and peered in with curious eyes before he entered and placed the papers on the drawers next to the bed. Alex looked at him with a frown.

"Why not the smaller one at the front?"

"What spy wants their window near the front porch?" Ben asked with an amused look. Alex narrowed his eyes slightly before he let out a huff of laughter that turned into a smirk.

"Touché."

Ben stood for a second before he nodded, "I'll leave you to that homework then."

Alex nodded his agreement, Ben pulled the door closed as he left with a deep breath. He jogged down the stairs and into the kitchen, flicking the kettle on with one hand before he leant back against the counter and pinched his nose against the Alex induced headache he could already feel coming on.

* * *

Ben looked up as his phone beeped for a message, wondering if Snake had figured it easier to send a text rather than trying to call as he had been all evening. Ben leant his chair back on two legs and grabbed it from the kitchen side before letting the chair legs drop back to the floor with a thud, he lifted his coffee and unlocked the phone quickly.

 _Knock knock_

Ben felt his lips tilt upwards and he walked down the hall, he pulled the front door open to see Sheath stood with a box in her hand that she held out to him.

"Delivery bitch as well now then?" Ben asked as he took the box from her. Sheath glared at him before she turned, jogged back down the stairs and pulled another box from the boot of her car. She pulled a large pizza box and placed it on top before awkwardly slamming the boot closed. Ben placed his own box down and jogged down the steps.

"Such a gentleman Daniels," She said as she offered the box. Ben gave her a deranged look and just pulled the pizza box open and stuck a slice in his mouth with a sarcastic smile.

"Not so much Sheathy."

"Wanker," Sheath muttered. Ben held the pizza in his mouth and took the box from her with a roll of his eyes. He placed it on top of the other one in the doorway of the lounge and grabbed the pizza box as he walked back into the kitchen. Sheath shut the front door and paused in the kitchen door way with a look upstairs. "Sleeping?"

"No idea," Ben murmured as he pulled the pizza box open and placed it in the middle of the table. The woman nodded and pushed the kitchen door closed gently.

"Just in case," She shrugged and took a slice of the pizza before pulling two bottles of beer from her coat pockets. Ben gave her a thankful look and grabbed the bottle opener from the drawer behind him as she laughed. He capped both bottles as she sat down at the table with a yawn. "Little shit. It took ages to find him."

"Ah, you had that pleasure then," Ben commented offhandedly.

"Me and nine other agents. Seems like a fucking VIP," She said with a frown, "Where were you?"

"Unit house. I was staying there," Ben responded as he pulled another piece of pizza from the box. "He went to college."

"I guess he might have done when we couldn't find him all day," She responded, "I saw a picture. He's so cute."

"He's 17," Ben said with a raised eyebrow. Sheath shrugged.

"I'm just appreciating god's fine work here Daniels. It's not like it's not legal," Ben let out a laugh as he took another mouthful of pizza and twisted his beer on the table with one hand. He peered through the archway at the boxes.

"What's that?" he asked.

"His stuff," She responded simply as she took a drink of her beer, "How was first contact?"

"Not as destructive as it was in Afghanistan thankfully," Ben responded with a smirk. Sheath let out a light laugh as she pulled another slice of pizza from the box, "Kind of awkward."

"First lodgings are always awkward. It will get better."

"Hopefully," Ben agreed as he took another slice of pizza. Sheath stood up and grabbed a plate from the cupboard. She put two pieces of the pizza on it and put it in the microwave before she turned and sat back down. Ben gave her an amused look.

"In case he's hungry if he's not asleep," She said with a shrug. Ben let out a huff of laughter.

"They should have put him with you. So much for the world's biggest bitch."

"They wouldn't have been able too," She responded with a smirk that didn't hit its normal tenor. Ben sat up a little in his chair at the change of tone and he took a drink from his beer.

"What's up?" he asked carefully. Sheath looked at him seriously and tilted her head to one side.

"Got a notice today. I'm being sent in deep."

Ben felt his eyebrows rise before a frown pulled at his forehead, "In Sao Paulo?"

"That's the insertion. They don't know how long it will be," Sheath responded with a shrug. Ben took another swig of his drink and pinched his lips together. "Cheer up Daniels. Means you get to escape my harassment for a while."

Ben hummed his agreement distractedly as he picked at the label on the bottle. "What's the respite terms?"

"Three days per month, taken at most every three months. After insertion obviously," She responded. Ben nodded and he attempted a smile, he knew it missed its mark when she laughed. "Shit attempt."

"Yeah," Ben agreed, he tapped a finger against the neck of the bottle thoughtfully before he took a long drink. "When do you leave?"

"Two days," Sheath responded with a small smile. "It's weird, going from home based too deep cover."

"Big jump," Ben agreed and he knew there was no point concealing the tone of concern in his voice. Sheath drained almost the whole bottle of beer and glanced at her watch as she yawned and covered her mouth. Ben took another sip of his drink and gave her a serious look. "Call when you're on respite?"

"You know it," Sheath agreed, "We'll go clubbing if you promise to get me hammered."

Ben felt himself laugh and he held up his bottle, "A drink to that."

Sheath tapped her bottle to his and downed the rest as she stood up and stretched. Ben finished his drink quickly and dumped the bottle on the side.

"I best get out of here. Pre-assignment crap to do tomorrow," Sheath said with a shrug. Ben stood as she opened the kitchen door and followed her out into the hallway, she tapped the top box. "His college stuff is in that one."

"Alright," Ben agreed quietly with a glance up the stairs. Sheath looked at him with a thoughtful face as he turned back.

"Stop worrying Daniels. It messes up your pretty little face," She commented, Ben felt the small twitch of his lips at the side as she turned and pulled the door open. Sheath tilted her head to one side with a narrow eyed look at him, "You'll be fine. Quinn will steer you right and the idiot has the mental age of a teenager."

"I know," Ben agreed with a tight smile. She walked out of the door with one last smirk and Ben pinched his lips together with a frown. "Sheathy?"

"Yes gorgeous?" she called back with an impish grin. Ben felt himself smile at the expression and he shook his head slightly.

"Be careful?" He said, the remnants of the smile on his face as she just gave him a deranged look.

"Daniels, I'm the weirdest Suit you know. I'm going to own this shit!" She said with an overly exaggerated flourish of her hands. Ben laughed as she waved, climbed into the car and pulled away. Ben waited until he saw the car disappear out of the road before he shut the door and leant back against it. He took a deep breath and thumped his head back against the door before he pushed himself away and grabbed one of the boxes to go upstairs.

Ben knocked at the door with a gentle hand, when there was no answer he pushed it open carefully. He stopped when he saw the double bed was empty and he pushed the door open the rest of the way to see a scruffy head of blonde hair asleep at the desk in the corner. He placed the box down and backed out of the room silently. He ran down the stairs and grabbed the second, as he thought whether he should attempt to wake Alex from where he was sleeping. It couldn't be comfortable. He placed the second box down and stood for a second in thought before he took a step backwards out of the room and gently pulled the door closed behind him.

Ben paused in the hallway and felt another frown move onto his forehead, another moment of indecision before he shook his head of all thoughts and walked into his room to crawl into bed.


	8. Chapter 8

**Warnings:** Language.

 **Disclaimer:** This is a work of FanFiction using characters from the Alex Rider series, intellectual property and copyright of Anthony Horowitz.

* * *

Alex jerked his head awake the and blinked once before looking around the unfamiliar room that was filled with light from where he'd left the curtain open. He cringed at the ache in his neck and rubbed it gently as he stood up from the desk. He tried to ignore the bandage his fingers rubbed against with the motion and his other hand turned the papers over on the desk quickly, checking the ink hadn't smudged any of the lines on the work he was doing. He dropped both arms to his side and took a deep breath before he gathered the paper into piles where he'd been working and turned for the door, stopping when he saw the boxes and tilted his head to one side, opening the one on the top with a frown to find his workbooks. He pulled them out, and grabbed as much of the school stuff as he could from the box, before he dumped it to one side and opened the second to find his clothes packed neatly inside.

He felt a twinge in his chest and snagged the pill bottle he'd gotten from one of the doctors the day before and took one of them dry before he decided a coffee overruled anything else and stepped over the mess of stuff to the door. A yawn wrenched its way from his lips as he walked down the stairs, and he rubbed his eyes as he walked into the kitchen and looked around. Ben looked up at him from the table.

"Morning," Ben greeted carefully. Alex sighed and arranged his normal smirk over his face.

"Morning," He returned in a carefully measured tone. "Can I make a coffee?"

"There's some on the pot," Ben was watching him carefully as he gestured over his shoulder and Alex walked over, pausing as Ben gave him an amused look. "Mugs are above that."

Alex nodded his agreement and pulled the cupboard open and snatched the biggest cup he could see. He filled it nearly to the top and took a long drink with his eyes looking at the two beer bottles on the side before he took a deep breath and composed a plain face before turning around to where Ben was watching him.

"There's food in the fridge, or leftover pizza in the microwave," Ben explained, "I'll have to get some proper food in."

"I'm fine," Alex said as he walked back towards the hall, "Where's the clock?"

"You don't have a phone?" Ben asked with an amused smirk that Alex just gave a disdainful look in response to as the Ben pushed the single button on the iPhone and held it out. Alex blinked in surprise.

"Fuck," He drained the warm coffee before he turned and walked back out to the hall and up the stairs to grab his bag and stuff for school that he was already two hours late for. Alex snatched the books he needed for the day and grabbed some fresh clothes from the box. He scrubbed his teeth quickly, figuring he would do it better later before he snatched his t-shirt off with a wince. He was in the process of pulling the other one on when he caught sight of himself in the mirror and he walked over to it with a frown. He let out a heavy sigh when he saw the size of the bandage that was wrapped over his chest and the colour of the skin around it. He hesitated, wondering if it was even worth going today before he pulled the t-shirt on and grabbed his bag from his room. Ben was stood at the bottom of the stairs with a plain expression and Alex stopped in his step.

"You want a lift?" Ben asked simply. Alex hesitated. "I'm heading that way to meet with Jones."

"Go on then," Alex edged as he pushed his feet into his trainers, not bothering to bend over to do them up properly. Ben held up a single key with a cardboard tag attached when he pulled the door open and Alex took it in one hand before he waited for Ben to walk out of the door first. He didn't make any move. Alex swallowed heavily, as he pinched his lips together and he could feel Ben watching him. "What are you looking at?"

"You," Ben said easily as he gestured for Alex to move forwards, "After you."

Alex grit his teeth together, for all of his senses and skills he still hated people being in his blind spot and he stared at the car trying to force his ears away from the quiet footsteps that followed after him. Ben climbed in with a light huff of laughter and Alex sat down quickly, trying to hide the grimace from the sudden movement, but he knew he hadn't caught it in time when Ben's lips twitched at the sides.

"Bet that hurt," Ben commented offhandedly. Alex turned his head to look at him with a raised eyebrow and that annoying half smile came onto his face. "Relax. This isn't an assignment."

Alex said nothing to that and turned his eyes out onto the road as Ben pulled away and headed towards his school. From the corner of his eye he saw Ben try to relax and lean back in his seat. "And you think I'm tense."

"Excuse me?" Ben asked with a smile that Alex saw as a little tighter than it normally is. Alex looked at him with a raised eyebrow,

"You, you're trying to relax."

"I'm tired," Ben returned with a shrug, Alex looked at him with a raised eyebrow but Ben made no move to respond as he indicated onto another road.

"Didn't sleep?" Alex offered edgily. Ben's lips twisted at the sides.

"Not used to there being someone else in the house," He responded calmly. Alex saw the muscle twitch at the side to indicate he was lying and he smirked.

"I don't believe that. You had a _friend_ over last night," As he spoke he saw Ben's hand tighten on the steering wheel ever so slightly and the man glanced at him with a composed face and that half smile again.

"How did you figure that?"

"Lip-gloss on one of the beer bottles," Alex commented aiming for flippant and missing by a mile. He cringed mentally as Ben's eyes narrowed at him and Alex turned his face away out of the window. Ben gave a light huff of laughter.

"Teach me for not taking the trash out, but yes, a friend came over. She brought your stuff."

"An agent?" Alex asked with more interest in the question than he should have put. He saw it was picked up when Ben smirked.

"Is it so hard to believe?" he countered calmly. Alex hid his frown and scoffed instead.

"You managed to find a friend in that building?"

"It's not that bad," Ben reasoned with a shrug. Alex raised an eyebrow at him, "If you weren't so confrontational maybe you could manage the same thing."

Alex hid the hurt from that statement behind his wall constructed for such things and instead let out a sardonic laugh as Ben pulled onto the street of his school, "I have friends. I don't need anymore."

"I'm sure you do, that's why your service was jam fucking packed," Ben muttered as he indicated to pull up in front of the school. Alex turned to look at him with a scowl and as the car slowed Ben gave a pointed look at the school. "Nice place."

"What's your problem?" Alex asked with a challenging look.

"Right now, you," Ben commented easily. Alex gave him a raised eyebrow and Ben smirked, "The arrogant teenager act won't work with me Alex."

Alex shoved the door open with a huff of laughter and he got out quickly, turning once the wince from the movement was concealed and he ducked his head back in the door to see Ben watching him with a smug smirk. Alex took a note of the tension in the man's face and his grip on the steering wheel where the wrists were slightly higher than they should have been if relaxed. Alex pulled his own smug smirk onto his face.

"Don't worry Ben, the calm agent façade isn't working either. Let's hope your girlfriend is better at it than you," He commented in a sarcastic tone and for a second he saw that concern in the brown eyes that looked at him trying to be serious and Alex felt a slight pang of guilt for causing it. He didn't change his expression though and Ben apparently recomposed himself as he put one hand on the gearstick.

"Go to school Alex," Ben commented dismissively. Alex shut the door and watched Ben pull away faster than he should have done. Alex frowned to himself as the car pulled out of the road and he looked at the pavement for a second. He resolved to consider how to play this later, before he pulled a customary uncaring and oh so teenager expression on his face and headed towards his Maths class.

* * *

Ben looked up as the front door slammed closed that afternoon to see Eagle bounding down the corridor towards him with a grin on his face.

"Guess what?" Eagle asked as he flicked the kettle on, Ben gave him an amused look before he turned his eyes to Snake as he slid into one of the chairs at the table in the kitchen.

"Did you give him Red Bull again?" Ben asked. Snake put both his hands up as Eagle sighed.

"No douchebag. It's my birthday soon," Eagle announced. Ben leant his head back with a surprised expression.

"Shit really? I completely forgot." Ben said with a surprised tone in his voice. Eagle looked at him with a crestfallen expression before Ben grinned at him.

"You're an asshole Benjy," Eagle muttered as he made coffee for the three of them. Ben twisted in his seat, newspaper he was reading forgotten about.

"Where we going this year?"

"KOKO on the Saturday after. Reserved a booth," Eagle said with a wave of his hand, "Normal shit you know. But that means you are going to have to speak with Luke."

Ben rolled his eyes and gave an exaggerated sigh, "Fine, just for you."

"Well how about we do drinks here next week?" Eagle asked carefully.

"You don't want to go in that lounge. I need to change the flooring and redecorate," Ben said offhandedly. Eagle stopped with a questioning look when he turned with three cups in his hands. "Blood."

"Lovely," Eagle commented with a grimace. "Well let's do it then. It's not like you're doing anything interesting being sat in the kitchen. You could have at least moved the TV out here."

Ben let out a small laugh, "I actually considered doing that."

"Figured," Eagle sat down with a smile, "So let's do it? I guarantee I will manage to paint at least 50% of you by the time we're finished."

"Can get a big rug for the floor," Snake commented, "Will be a pain to change the whole lot. Just ask your masters to get someone to clean it properly. They should pick up the tab for all the shit anyway."

Ben took a drink from his mug with a nod of agreement as he looked at Snake, "Still going to the gym today?"

Snake shook his head. "Off day. Eagle could probably run off some of his energy though if you need it."

"Probably a good idea before I kill Cub," Ben agreed as he rolled his head back, "He noticed lip-gloss on one of the beer bottles on the side. I'm not going to hear the end of it for a while."

"Awesome. He can join me in taking the piss out of you," Eagle said with a grin. Ben scowled at him and the red haired man held his hands up, "Woah alright. Calm down Foxy. I'm stealing your clothes. I'd rather not get my head ripped off."

Eagle stood up and walked out of the room. Ben looked at Snake and when he heard the door clicked closed the medic took a deep breath and leant back in the chair.

"So that reaction was because of?"

"Don't bother," Ben muttered as he took a drink of his coffee, "I'm being an idiot. Monica is being deployed into deep cover is all."

"I can see why that would be a worry," Snake commented with a shrug, "Of what I know of her though, she'd probably slap you for acting like a grouch."

"She'd break my fucking nose," Ben returned with a small laugh. Snake gave him an amused smile.

"Has she left already?" Snake asked. Ben shook his head. "Get on her notification's listing then if you aren't already."

"Good idea," Ben agreed as he pulled his phone from his pocket and sent a quick text. He could feel Snake watching him and he looked up after pushing send. "What?"

"Just thinking about how you've changed since you left us," Snake commented carefully. "Will you at least think about that rollback?"

There was a long drawn out pause and Ben leant back in his chair with a thoughtful face as he swirled the coffee in his mug gently. It was as he heard Eagle walking along the back hall towards the stairs and he felt Snake watching him that he felt that sense of belonging again that had been missing for a while in company and he smiled to himself. "I'll think about it. No promises."

"Most I can ask for," Snake acknowledged as Eagle came back down the stairs in jogging gear and an expectant look at Ben.

"Come on then Foxy. Need to get you fit again while Papa Snake goes paint shopping," Ben felt the laugh leave his lips as he stood up to get himself changed and ready to go for a jog with a somewhat exuberant Eagle.

* * *

Alex dropped his head onto his desk with a sigh as the lecturer was going through sociological cognitive behaviour training and what the effects were on a populations youth. He wondered vaguely why of all the courses MI6 would have entered him for that sociology would have been one, but he took it as a free period to get his head down and get on with work for other courses. He'd already studied this for himself, he thought he'd missed the module and had gone through the content the previous night and was now listening with half an ear as the teacher's voice droned out to nothing. He tilted his head to look out of the window as he took a deep breath, the late Spring sunshine was making everything outside shimmer where it had been raining that morning and over the short concrete seating area he could see the field where the year 11 team were playing football.

He made a mental note to get hold of Tom to see if he'd notified the notified anyone in the college football team they both played in to see if he'd mentioned his "death."

Alex leant his chin on his arms as he looked at the front with a bored expression as his mind wandered to his friends. Tom was in the same college as him after managing to secure himself somewhat decent GCSE results and was studying sports physiotherapy and biology. Alex hadn't seen him yet and he deigned to ask Jones about his absence. Sabina was of course at her acting school they'd came back for. And himself? Still in Brooklands, although now in the college rather than the secondary school attempting to sit AS levels after Jones' insistence that he needed to be educated. He'd scraped through his GCSE's with across the board C's but his attendance had been so bad in the final few months that other college's would have laughed at any application he put in.

Alex took a deep breath and shut his eyes for a second, he really was tired. The first few days were always the worst for attempting to go back to this cycle. He missed the adrenaline that would push him through on an assignment and everything after just felt a bit like a blur. He'd accepted this as his routine, he would persist with being Alex the college kid as long as possible until he needed that hit.

He smirked to himself when he thought it truly made him what everyone had called him last year in school. A druggy of sorts, hooked on adrenaline and James Bond moments rather than heroin or cocaine. He let himself linger on which was the most dangerous for a moment before he shook his head and sat up straight in his chair with a deep calming breath. A lot of those people had long since left the buildings he was in now, splitting into college's that were good for what they wanted to study rather than stay on at a generic all around curriculum like Brooklands offered in the A level year's. Of course there were a couple of familiar faces around the halls of the college, enough to create the whispers after each disappearance but not enough for them to hang around for too long.

His latest absence had been well documented in local media and TV. The cover of a motorbike accident was enough to make people look at him with sympathetic eyes rather than mistrusting ones like the simple illnesses had in his last year of school. He was undecided on what was worse, so he'd just given his usual smirk or scowl to those that tried to extend their regards to him.

He could see he scared people, his common attire of black jeans with a white t-shirt and a simple army green hoody that covered muscles that were too well developed for someone their age made them move away a little if he gave them a scowl. It was a strange kind of power and as much as he knew he shouldn't abuse it, he did. Especially on irritable days like the ones straight after he got back from an assignment.

Of course it also provided him the space he needed from people to think. He was classed as a loner, a dangerous loner, but a loner all the same.

Alex dropped himself and leant back in his seat with a smirk as one of the girls, someone called Elizabeth if he remembered right, looked at him. He glanced over to see her give him a small wave and he raised an eyebrow at her before he moved his eyes back to the front of the classroom with a disinterested expression. Behind his expression was a sigh that screamed _just leave me alone already._ Unfortunately that was one of the downsides of being a loner. Everyone wanted to know more about you.

He almost smiled to himself at how fruitless his attempts to fit in had been in his last year of GCSE's when he'd eventually gotten back into school. The old rumours resurfaced the minute he stepped foot into the grounds the previous year. People recognising his face, that although tanned, looked more closed off than it ever had been when he was here before. People had been notified of the reason for his absence, his guardian had died near enough a year to the day after Ian and he'd left to live in America.

Of course his old friends had re-emerged and he'd attempted integration into the school routine back then, he'd gotten into a football team after a rather extensive amount of lies had been told to the coach and he'd sat his GCSE's with his estranged peers. That was until he decided the adults in the Pleasure clan were choking him with their perfect lifestyle of normality and he'd told them he was moving out.

It had been Edward Pleasure that had spoken with _them_ initially to get funds released from his trust for his accommodation and that was it, they'd summoned him, telling him they could provide the accommodation he so desperately craved for a place to call his own if he would work a mission for them on a regular basis in return for bills, food and items needed for his day to day living. It wasn't a lot he figured, one mission each month wasn't a big deal, not following his pursuits at 14.

It had taken him four months and seven missions within those months to realise they had people following him, listening and spying on him to tell them when he required something substantial. A laptop, a car, anything really and in return he would work an assignment. Not that he particularly cared, he got his dose of adrenaline to quell that thirst for something more than this normal routine he was currently sat in.

But still that three year-old feeling of belonging neither here nor there remained and he hated the fact he needed the assignments to break that, because that meant that he had to walk into that building and speak with that dull grey man or his puppet in order to be able to feel something.

Alex turned his head back out of the window with a deep breath as the football team started clearing the cones from the floor to start a proper game and he watched as the boys ran into their positions. It was strange to think that had Ian not been who he was he could have been playing for Chelsea main team by now. He tried not to dwell on the thought, he'd ascertained a long time ago that some things just are better not being thought about at all.

Alex let out a quiet sigh as he thought of the one person that he knew had the ability to be able to see straight through his plain faced lies and façade that he had carefully constructed. The same as he had that night almost a year ago when he had been driven home in a black BMW and had one of the most awkward conversations in his life.

He smiled to himself as he remembered that conversation with Jones when Blunt wasn't there. The woman was so much softer than Blunt, in a way it was easier to play this fucked up game with her. When he'd walked out of that office on the first assignment he was _supposed_ to work with Ben to be placed on a plane alone, he'd won a small victory in his mind. It was short lived when Blunt was present at his next briefing and every one since then and the partnership had emerged.

He had to admit it hadn't been all bad, in a way they complemented each other while working. Ben was calm, collected and patient. It was pretty much everything Alex himself wasn't, but between them they could throw things around until shit made sense and over the course of the last five missions they had built up from nothing a somewhat decent working relationship. At least that was from his side, but this new turn just made him shrink away.

His real life and his work life clashing so violently worried him. He knew he couldn't take the Alex he portrayed to people at college or with friends with him back into that house.

Ben had already said he could see straight through it but Alex wasn't prepared to show him anything else.

He leant back in his chair with a sigh and unseeing eyes towards the front as he tried to figure out a solution to the problem. Evidently he'd hit a nerve that morning with his comments and Alex acknowledged he felt bad for it. He knew he didn't want to fall back to the awkward initial days of their assignments where the words were scarce between them but nor did he want to have Ben pulling at the threads of emotion that he knew seeped through the cracks in his self-appointed wall.

Alex dropped his head onto the table with a thud in frustration at the entire situation and he shut his eyes to try to come up with a decent solution that would allow this to be relatively painless without allowing too much crossover between where he was staying and his real life.

There was a crack and Alex lifted his head to see Ms Williams, a rather short and stout woman with shoulder length and badly dyed blonde hair, had smacked a ruler down against the desk just inches in front of his face. She lifted it with a stern expression on her face and pointed it at him as a smirk moved onto his face.

"At the end of this ruler is a lazy idiot with no interest in their future."

"Which end?" Alex returned with a smug tone that was designed to annoy the woman stood in front of him. He heard the spattering of laughter around the classroom, Williams narrowed her eyes at him and pointed to the door.

"Out. Come back when you can act your age."

Alex didn't show his scowl at that particular statement, instead he kept his head held high as he shouldered his bag and walked out of the room. Leaving nothing more than whispers in his wake as he slammed the classroom door closed and started the walk back to Ben's.

* * *

Ben stood back from the wall as he painted the last part in the second coat of light blue and he looked around the room with a small smile. Snake gestured to the wall he'd painted, it didn't escape notice that he'd taken the one that had the actual blood on it and he nodded, his eyes lingering over where the patch had been.

"Blue's good," He said simply. Snake placed his paintbrush down and looked at Eagle. Ben felt his arm being grabbed and he looked at Eagle who was grinning as Snake grabbed the other arm roughly. "Oh fuck no."

"Oh fuck yes!" Eagle teased with a grin as the pair of them picked him up off the floor. Ben laughed and tried to latch his legs around the table as they dragged him through the kitchen and towards the back door. They stopped when the front door slam closed and Ben felt the smile slip off his face as Alex raised an eyebrow at the three of them.

"Hello Cub!" Eagle called over his shoulder with a grin as wide as Ben had even seen on his face. Ben looked at Eagle with a deranged expression.

"Let me go," Ben demanded with a broad smile on his face as he tried to wrench his arms away.

"Nope," Eagle responded as he looked at Alex and nodded to the lounge. "Cub, grab the half full paint pot from the lounge."

"Alex, you dare and I will kill you while you are sleeping!" Ben threatened with a laugh as they started to drag him again. Alex didn't move as Ben hooked his legs onto the back door frame and the other two attempted to tug him through the doorway. Once they were out on the decking, Eagle wrenched his arms up around his back with a laugh as Snake disappeared inside to grab the leftover paint from the room. Alex appeared in the opening to the kitchen with a curious look on his face as Snake walked past him with the pot of paint.

"Sure you don't want the honours?" Snake offered. Alex raised an eyebrow at him, "You've had the pain of working with him recently."

"Don't," Ben laughed as he tried to twist out of Eagles grip, he felt the hands loosen and he stood up as Snake tipped the pot over his head. Ben froze and clenched his eyes closed as Eagle stepped away and Ben pinched his lips together to stop any of the paint getting in his mouth. He waited until he felt the flow of the glutinous liquid stop before attempting to speak. "I hate you both."

"No you don't," Eagle said easily with a grin on his face. Ben just whipped his head towards him to startle a curse out of the man before he pulled his shirt off and used it to wipe his face. He looked at Alex who was stood watching the three of them with amused eyes and a full smile on his face that Ben had never seen before. It slipped into his normal smirk a second later it was as if it had never been there.

"Blue suits you," Alex commented offhandedly and Ben laughed as he ran a hand through his hair to get the majority of the paint out before he stood to full height and Snake passed him a towel from the dirty washing pile inside the door.

"Good day at college?" Ben asked casually. Alex shrugged.

"Same old," Alex looked at Eagle who was watching him with a grin on his face before his eyes flicked back to Ben. "Is he drunk?"

Ben shook his head slowly with an exaggerated sympathetic expression, "This is out of op mode Eagle. He's a nightmare. Don't listen to a thing he says."

Eagle smacked Ben round the back of his head and looked down as the impact caused paint to splatter his shirt. The red haired man looked at his hand with a distasteful expression before he nodded. "I'm an idiot."

"You can listen to that," Snake provided sagely. Alex nodded slowly, before he gave the three of them a confused look and turned back into the house and headed for the stairs. Ben watched him go before he pulled the paint soaked jeans off and stepped into the kitchen to rinse the worst of the paint out of his hair under the tap. He looked at the other two as he kept his head over the sink and they sat at the table.

"He always that quiet?" Snake asked.

"I wish," Ben returned as he tested the temperature of the water, Snake sent him a questioning look. Ben waited until he heard the door close upstairs. "Conversation in the car this morning. Hostile as fuck."

"You _were_ pretty grumpy," Eagle said with a smirk, Ben sent him a glare before he shoved his head under the tap and scrubbed his fingers through his hair roughly, holding it there until the water ran somewhat clear before he snagged another dirty towel from the pile and dried his hair off. He sat down at the table in his boxers and grabbed the beer that had been placed in his spot as there was a thud from the room above them. Ben rolled his eyes and tilted his head over the back of his chair with a sigh, waiting to hear if there was another sound when he felt Snake kick his shin as a prompt.

"Alex?" Ben yelled. He waited for a response and took a long swig of his beer before getting up and jogging up the stairs. He knocked on the door gently, when there was no response he frowned and pushed the door open. Ben stared at the empty room, careful eyes roaming across the furniture carefully, noting the open window before he walked out and leant over the bannister by the stairs. "Is he down there?"

"No," Snake called back almost immediately. Ben checked the other two bedrooms, grabbing a pair of jeans and pulling them on. He checked the bathroom before he jogged back downstairs and checked the lounge before entering the kitchen. Snake looked up at him curiously and Ben shook his head.

"Gone, windows open so I presume he went out that," Ben saw the other two look at each other as he sat back down and took a drink from his beer.

"What?" Eagle asked an incredulous expression.

"I have no idea," Ben admitted as he let out an almost amused huff of laughter. Snake leant forwards with a smirk and a pointed look at Eagle.

"Derek scared him. Guaranteed."

* * *

Alex walked through the foyer of the Royal and General with his school bag on his back and pushed through the doors at the back of the banking hall as if he belonged there, eying the agents he passed with wary looks that were returned back to him as he stalked towards the lifts. He waited impatiently as the lift counted down it's stairs, turning his head when he heard footsteps beside him to see Demery stood with a mug of coffee, the man gave him a warm smile.

"Alex," He greeted. Alex just nodded a greeting, "Glad to see you are okay."

"Just fine," Alex agreed as he walked into the lift and pushed the button for Jones floor. "What number?"

"Same," Demery said with an easy smile. "How you been?"

"Got shot. You didn't know I came back?"

"No I didn't. I'll be having words with Jones about that one."

"I wouldn't bother. Speak with Blunt, he's the puppet master," Alex commented dully. Demery raised an eyebrow at him, "No need to look like that."

"I think you'll find Jones has just as big a hand in your operations as Blunt. If not more so," Demery returned with a shrug. Alex tilted his head to one side, "They're a lot more similar than you would believe."

"Maybe," Alex edged. "How are things for you?"

"Getting old," Demery commented, "Blunt pisses me off something rotten. Dirty old fucker."

Alex gave him a somewhat amused smirk and nodded his agreement, "He'll be dead one day."

"Not by your hand I hope," Demery commented easily as the lift dinged for their floor. Alex gave him a serious look, "I thought not. You look after yourself Alex. Remember my door is always open."

Alex watched him give a small wave as he walked away with a broad smile on his face and Alex frowned to himself when Demery had ducked into another office. He paused in his step, considering going to ask the man what he had meant that night almost a year ago before he shook his head and walked the similar route to Mrs Jones office. He ignored the receptionist and knocked on the door, pushing it open with one hand without waiting for an answer.

He wasn't surprised to see Blunt sat to one side of the desk yet again, but then his entire route through the building would probably have been tracked anyway. Jones looked at him with a raised eyebrow and Alex pushed the door closed.

"I'm going to stay with a friend," Alex said simply. Mrs Jones placed her pen down with her lips pinched. "I don't know why you thought putting me with Ben was a good idea. I don't really care but I'm not staying there."

"We haven't sent notification to the Pleasure's yet and Mr Harris is currently out of the country," Mrs Jones explained curtly.

"Then find someone else," Alex said simply as he stayed stood by the door with a plain face, "Or give me one of the rooms here."

"Not an option," Blunt said simply. Alex looked at him with a raised eyebrow, "You are to stay with Daniels."

"I am not staying there," Alex insisted. "If you have any intention of me working for you again, then you won't make me either."

"You are staying there if you intend to work for us again," Blunt stated dully. Alex looked at him plainly.

"Excuse me?" Alex asked with a carefully concealed amount of surprise. This wasn't how this worked, they threatened him to go on assignment's. Not threatened him to _not_ go on assignments.

"If you wish to work for us again, you will stay with Agent Daniels," Blunt clarified carefully as he shut a file in front of him with one hand. "It's very simple."

"Why?" Alex asked suspiciously. Blunt placed his hands on top of the file without breaking eye contact with him. "I can't live with him."

"I believe you can," Blunt returned in that same monotone he always spoke in. Alex felt the scowl move onto his face. "There will be an adjustment period-"

"I don't have time for an adjustment period," Alex snapped, he took a deep breath and stared the man straight back in the eyes dully, "I have course work and a real life outside of this crap."

"Do you?" Blunt asked. If there could have been a hint of sarcasm in his tone, Alex guessed it would have been there. Alex hid the scowl this time and Blunt nodded at him once. "Good day, Alex."

"What?" Alex asked as his hand gripped his backpack tightly, "That's it, you're just going to drop me again?"

"Not at all," Jones said firmly, "We've given you a choice, you reside with Daniels until such a time we can arrange a new place for your residence or you may find your own accommodation and not work with us again."

"Fine," Alex agreed, "Any assignments?"

"You've been out of hospital for two days Alex. Don't be ridiculous," Mrs Jones responded dispassionately.

"That hasn't stopped you before," Alex commented with a smirk. Jones looked down at her desk when he fixed her with a cold stare. He looked back at Blunt whose dull grey eyes were watching him with a calculating look. Blunt steeped his fingers together and leant forwards ever so slightly.

"What happened that brought you here today Alex?" Blunt asked dully. Alex clicked his teeth together quickly. What could he say to that? That he didn't want to be anywhere near his old unit? That the way they were acting was so abstract to him he just couldn't understand it? That he didn't want his reality crashing with his escape? Apparently something in his posture gave him away as Blunt leant back in his chair. "To be stuck between worlds is a rather awkward place to be."

Alex didn't restrain the scowl on his face. "That's why you want me to stay there."

"Not at all," Blunt responded calmly, "That could be a side product but it is not the primary reason. You have our offer. Do what you will with it."

Alex looked between the two people sat at the desk and he shrugged. "Fine. See you never."

Alex turned on his heel and stalked out of the office, slamming the door closed behind him with one hand. He looked up when he heard footsteps stop near him to see Demery looking at him with a small smile and one eyebrow quirked upwards. "Everything alright?"

"Fine," Alex stated bluntly as he turned and walked down the corridor with a scowl. He heard Demery behind him as he jogged to catch him up. Alex looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't seem so fine. Need to talk?"

"No," Alex returned simply. Demery grabbed his shoulder in a surprisingly firm grip and Alex stopped with an unamused face and disdainful look.

"Not as the deputy head of Special Operations. Just as a vent," Demery offered backwardly. Alex narrowed his eyes at the man and pinched his lips together. "Hell, we don't even have to talk. Just let me buy you a coffee."

Alex looked away for a second before serious brown eyes flicked back to Demery, "Hot chocolate."

Demery gave him a small smile and nodded him towards the lifts. They walked in silence to the lift and out of the building. He was surprised by the man's restraint and posture as he walked across the road without faltering in his step once or attempting to ask a question. Alex snagged a booth at the back of the coffee shop as Demery brought the drinks and ambled over a few minutes later with an easy smile on his face. Alex looked at the hot chocolate suspiciously.

"I haven't poisoned it," Demery commented as he took a drink from his own coffee. Alex pinched his lips together before he took a sip and he felt himself relax ever so slightly. "So what to talk about?"

"Why have they made me live with Ben?" Alex asked bluntly. Demery looked amused for a second before he shook his head.

"I wouldn't know," Demery admitted, "I have very little to do with you, not after I tried to conceal your participation in the Camden operation."

Alex looked at him with a raised eyebrow that turned into a frown, "I thought you told them?"

"No," Demery said quickly, "Never would have. I was under the impression you were not interested in becoming involved again and I was willing to leave that decision up to you should you have ever decided to come back officially."

"So much for that," Alex muttered, he frowned when he heard the bitter tone and looked up at Demery who just had a small smile on his face at it. "Why are you in that building?"

"Because I want to be," Demery admitted, "I worked a very long time to get there. Through the ranks of regulars and eventually through the SAS until a position became open that I wanted."

"Bad choice," Alex commented as he took another sip from his drink with a frown. "You recruited Ben right?"

"Yes," Demery agreed, Alex raised an eyebrow at him and Demery picked up on the silent cue as he looked thoughtful, "Daniels is a very experienced operative for his age. Unfortunately, he was one of the ones I lost when Blunt returned."

"Ones you lost?" Alex echoed with a frown. Demery took a drink of his coffee.

"I had a division, mostly made up of recruits from other areas in the military. I hand-picked them myself, Daniels was one of them," Demery explained carefully, "I was aiming to create a group of people different from those that are currently in that building. Younger mostly, one thing they all had in common was excellent people skills."

"Not so great for this job," Alex said with a smirk. Demery made a non-committal gesture with his hands.

"You'd be surprised. Being able to deal with people is a huge part of what we do. Daniels was one of the best in my division for it. There was only one that matched him in fact, but they didn't fulfil other criteria as well," Demery said simply. "I'm surprised you are having trouble staying with him. He's probably one of the most genuine people you will meet within the Establishment."

"I work with him," Alex said cagily. Demery's eyebrow rose over one eye and Alex smirked. "Exactly."

"As surprising as that is. It also makes sense for you to be placed with him temporarily," Demery said carefully. Alex looked at him through narrowed eyes as the man looked thoughtful, "You wouldn't have asked if you didn't want the truth."

"Just because I know him," Alex said offhandedly as he took a sip of his drink, "I'm not staying in this job forever."

"Ah so that is why Blunt told you he placed you there?" Demery deduced as he leant back with all the air of casualness. Alex clicked his teeth together and Demery just gave him a knowing look. Alex took a deep breath and he drank the rest of his drink in one go before he stood and swung his bag on his back roughly. Alex looked down as he took a step away when he felt paper against his hand. He twisted his hand and looked at the five £20 notes in his hand before he looked at Demery. "Take the night to consider your options in a hotel."

"I don't need your money," Alex said evenly.

"Call it a temporary escape."

Alex looked at the notes before he looked back to the man and narrowed his eyes at him. "Why are you helping me?"

"I can see when people are hiding things. Sometimes all it takes is a little space to figure shit out," Demery commented offhandedly. Alex felt his fist clench and Demery smiled at him with a knowing look. Alex threw the notes back on the table and didn't bother saying goodbye before he walked out of the café with brisk strides until he was out of the road.

* * *

"What's up with you today?" Snake asked as he pulled his bag from his locker with one hand. Ben glanced at him, his towel wrapped around his waist from the post workout shower in the SAS HQ gym that Snake had gotten him access too. Ben shrugged, stopping halfway when he remembered how annoying a gesture it was and let out a sigh.

"Just tired," He edged as he glanced over his shoulder at the door that opened. Snake pinched his lips together and gestured to one corner with his head away from the door before he turned and walked. Ben grabbed his bag with an agitated hand and slammed the locker closed before he followed after the medic. He dropped his bag on the bench and sat down next to it.

"Alright. Now the truth," Snaked stated with a shrug se he scrubbed a small gym towel through his hair. Ben rolled his eyes.

"Alex obviously," He returned with a thoughtful look on his face. Snake raised an eyebrow at him. "He hasn't come back."

"Since we were there?" Snake asked with a frown. Ben nodded once. "Three days?"

"Yes. Jones is going to fucking skin me alive if he's done a runner," Ben said with a frown as he sat on the bench as Snake pulled his clothes from his bag.

"You called him?"

"He doesn't have a mobile," Ben returned with a roll of the eyes. "What fucking teenager doesn't have a mobile?"

"Well he's hardly a normal teenager," Snake commented as he sat down on the bench. Ben looked at him with a sarcastic smirk.

"That's what you'd think right? His attitude when he was there was absolutely on point for normal teenager."

Snake shrugged, "I didn't think he seemed like a normal teenager. In fact, he seemed quite quiet."

"See around you two he was fine. That is Alex. This quiet infuriating thing that only speaks when he has a sarcastic remark to make. That is the Alex I know, not the scowling moody little shit," Ben pinched the bridge of his nose, "I swear he is going to drive me into an early grave with these headaches."

"Maybe he doesn't know how to act around you in this setting yet. Did you speak to him?" Snake asked. Ben looked at him before he sighed and shook his head. Snake smirked, "There's the first problem."

"When was I supposed to talk to him?" Ben asked incredulously, "I saw him for less than an hour before he just disappeared."

"Well his stuff is at yours. So he has to go back there," Snake said with a shrug, "And that's when you catch him."

"If I'm planning to do that I need a strategy," Ben said as he leant back on the bench with a sigh. "He already figured out about Monica and started baiting me for a reaction. I really don't want him getting at more of the interesting shit."

"If you are restraining yourself around him, he'll never drop it." Snake advised slowly. Ben nodded before he looked at Snake with a frown and shook his head.

"I genuinely have no clue what to do with him."

"Stop being so stubborn," Snake commented easily. Ben raised an eyebrow at him, "You're obviously at a point where you've met someone as resilient as yourself with regards to deflecting. Just accept that one of you is going to have to break to stop it and try to speak with him to set up some boundaries like we had too."

"That is going to be a lot easier to say than do," Ben said with a sigh as he dropped his head down to look at the floor. Snake laughed beside him.

"The kid trained somewhat competitively with us at 14 Ben. What made you think anything to do with him was ever going to be easy?" Snake countered. Ben felt a smile on his face and he nodded.

"Fair point," Ben agreed, "Monica said you'd have the right answers if I needed them."

"Perceptive," Snake commented. Ben looked up at him with a frown and the medic smirked, "If she can get the unit dynamics from a brief meeting in the street and a 15-minute trip to ours I really don't think you should be too worried about her capabilities."

"I know."

"Just keep that chin up. I know she would have been one of your major points of contact for this thing with Cub, I figure you spoke with her that night you went out?" Ben nodded his agreement and Snake gave him an understanding look, "We'll get him on the straight and narrow and you can enjoy both of their company when she gets respite."

Ben felt a huff of laughter leave his lips and he shook his head, "Fuck that, they are never meeting."

"We'll see," Snake commented as he pulled his t-shirt on, "I wouldn't be surprised if it would do him some good one day."

"What?" Ben asked with a surprised tone. Snake gave him a pointed look.

"Don't be obtuse, it doesn't suit you," Snake responded with a pointed look. Ben looked up at him with a frown, "She responds to people's attitude and posture remarkably well. I've only seen one other person do it better."

"Who?" Ben asked with a frown. Snake smirked.

"You need to stand up and look at that wall to see him," Snake returned with a nod towards the mirror. Ben looked at the wall with a small frown and felt his clothes being dumped on his lap. "Considering your occupation, you really are surprisingly short-sighted sometimes."

Ben let out a huff of laughter and he pulled his t-shirt over his head. "You think that's all it will take?"

"I think you are better than you give yourself credit for. For all his faults and strengths, Cub is still just a person. Probably a person who is a little more hostile than normal due to circumstance, but if you can manage to talk yourself out of more shit than necessary in Baghdad, I don't think you'll have too many problems with a 17 year-old. Spy or not."


	9. Chapter 9

**Warnings:** Language.

 **Disclaimer:** This is a work of FanFiction using characters from the Alex Rider series, intellectual property and copyright of Anthony Horowitz.

* * *

Alex hesitated with his hand half way to the door before he tapped against it gently. He waited patiently, knowing Ben's car was parked on the road just behind him and he saw a shadowy figure moving its way towards the door through the frosted panel. He took a deep breath when he heard the deadlock being taken off to see surprised brown eyes look out through the opening at him.

Alex didn't immediately move when the door was pulled open and he saw Ben give him a questioning look that he shook his head too and walked in the door.

"Welcome back," Ben greeted with a smile. Alex felt his frown increase and he nodded once.

"I forgot my keys," Alex commented offhandedly. Ben gave him a look that said he knew better than that, before he gestured to the kitchen.

"Coffee?" Ben offered, Alex pinched his lips together and shook his head quickly. "Course work again?"

"Yes," Alex returned calmly as he walked towards the stairs. He heard Ben sigh behind him and Alex turned when he was a couple of steps up the staircase. "What?"

"Nothing," Ben said simply as he pushed the front door closed and dead locked it again. Alex watched him walk back towards the kitchen with a curious look before Ben turned and he wiped the expression clean off his face once again. "Something is different with you."

"I'm not working," Alex said with a lazy smirk. Ben gave him a sarcastic nod and Alex scowled. "Why can't you just stop with the questions?"

"Why can't you just answer them?" Ben countered with an amused smile. Alex glared at him.

"Would you if I started poking questions at you?"

"No, but then I'm not the one acting like an ass," Ben returned with a shrug. Alex tensed at that and raised an eyebrow at him. Ben just took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. "Is it worth me asking where you were?"

"No," Alex returned simply. Ben took another deep breath and nodded. He pulled a phone from his pocket and held it out. Alex looked at it, recognising the unit as the same used by MI6. "It's tracked?"

"If I say yes, you'll just leave it here," Ben said with a smirk. Alex looked at the phone in his hand warily. "But no it's not."

"Smithers?" Alex asked cautiously. Ben nodded and Alex reached a hesitant hand out for it. "Why did you bother?"

"Why shouldn't I? I assume you have people you want to get in touch with," Ben responded calmly. Alex weighed the item in his hand experimentally before he looked back at Ben with a frown. He wondered to himself why he would need the device, and what Ben wanted for arranging him to have a new one made by Smithers. He knew he gave Ben a badly concealed suspicious look amidst his frown when the man raised an eyebrow at him. He silently cursed himself before he looked away. Ben took a step towards him with a curious expression.

"And that look was for what?" Ben asked cautiously. Alex snapped his eyes back to him with a resilient expression and Ben held up his hands in surrender at the obvious defiance. "Fine."

"Good," Alex said dully. He tucked the phone into his pocket with a lingering look at Ben before he jogged up the rest of the stairs and into his room before he could let anything else involuntarily slip. Alex leant his back against the door and to sit down on the plush blue carpet before he rolled his head back against the wood. He pulled the phone out of his pocket with a sigh and turned the unit on. Of course Tom, Sabina and Ben's numbers were on there, he paused on the main dial number for the Royal & General before he swore to himself and pushed delete quickly. He threw the phone onto his bed with another tired sigh leaving his mouth and ducked his head against his chest.

That first interaction with Ben hadn't been exactly what he was planning after staying the last week in a hotel to clear his mind, in fact it was a long way off. Alex felt annoyance well up in him, both at himself and at Ben for not just being another person he could shake off with a scowl or smug smirk and his fists clenched at his sides. He thumped the floor beside him and froze when he realised that it would be heard below him. He held his breath, waiting to see if there would be a shout up the stairs and sure enough within 20 seconds there was a quiet knock on the door behind him. Alex took a deep breath.

"What?" he asked loudly. He heard a shuffling of feet outside the door.

"Alright?"

"Fine," Alex responded tersely. He thought there would be something else said after that and he waited, keeping his breathing quiet and not moving an inch until he heard the lounge door downstairs close and he leant his head back against the door again as he shut his eyes.

"Just leave me alone," Alex whispered into the darkness behind his eyes as he felt his mind drift into sleep where he was sat.

* * *

Ben eased the key into the door with a glance back at the road to see Wolf's car was missing from the normal parking spot. He pushed the door open and Eagle's head peered round from the lounge, the red haired man's face split into a grin.

"Alright Benjy?"

"All good. How's things?" Ben asked as he slid his trainers off and dropped his gym bag on the floor by them. Eagle shrugged and Ben walked towards the lounge.

"Same shit, different day," Eagle said offhandedly. "You know how it is."

Snake looked up from the armchair where he was reading a book when Ben entered with a curious expression, "He back yet?"

"Yes," Ben responded with a shrug. Eagle snapped his head round to look at him with a raised eyebrow. "Seven days."

"Rather you than me," Eagle commented with an amused expression, "Did you find out why?"

"Of course not," Ben returned as he flopped on the sofa. "I gave him a phone when he got back, it literally took 10 minutes to get him to even hold the damn thing."

Eagle laughed, "Was it a brick?"

"That's the thing, it was a phone made by the damn gadget guy at MI6. Top of the range everything. His first question: Is it tracked?" Ben exclaimed with a groan, he pinched the bridge of his nose. Snake had a small smirk on his face and Ben gave him a pointed look. "It's not funny."

"It really is," Snake said after a short pause as he closed his book and put it on the table by the side of him. "Do you remember how long it took us to get talking?"

"Not long," Ben responded. "But then we had the army in common."

"Yes. What do you have in common with Cub?"

"Nothing really," Ben returned slowly. Snake gave him an exasperated look. "Alright, work."

"Yeah and what do you work as?" Snake questioned slowly. Ben rolled his eyes. "Don't roll your eyes. It makes you look exactly like the teenager you've been talking about the last two weeks."

Eagle let out a bark of laughter and Ben looked at him with a smirk. Eagle just copied the action and Ben let out a huff of laughter as Snake groaned. "I can't have a serious conversation with you in the room Derek."

"Sorry," Eagle said quickly. "Ben just looks so pissed off. I find it quite entertaining."

"Glad someone does," Ben muttered as Eagle stood up and picked up the coffee mugs. The red head held them up and Ben nodded for one being made for him before he looked at Snake with a deep breath.

"That hot headed streak is going to be your undoing with this situation," Snake commented with a shrug as he leant back in his chair. Ben looked away and took another deep breath.

"He won't answer even one question Quinn. I'm good with people, but one sided conversations don't work too well," Ben explained carefully. Snake gave him an amused look and Ben felt a scowl move onto his face. Snake's look if anything only grew more amused and Ben groaned as he leant back in the chair. "Yeah alright I get it."

"If he won't answer a question, don't ask him any," Snake said carefully as he leant forwards and twisted his fingers together. "You just got to learn how to get around him without asking much."

"How? I don't know-"

"You do know him. You know him enough to know that he is currently doing an arrogant teenager act," Snake insisted. "You also know him well enough to be able to function on assignments. So what's different outside of them?"

"He is!" Ben exclaimed with a foot kicking the coffee table in frustration, "On assignments he is quiet and somewhat funny, he's actually pretty decent to work with. This though? It's like he's doing it just to bloody annoy me."

"He's playing you," Eagle said as he walked in with the coffee cups. Ben looked up at him quickly and Eagle grinned. "I used to do it all the time."

"You don't have too-"

"You need me too. I'm the closest one in family situation to him," Eagle said as he gave Snake a mug of coffee and sat down on the sofa the other end of Ben with a smirk. "If he has no one, which I'm guessing he doesn't if he's saying with you."

Ben hesitated before he nodded, "Go on."

"He's acting like a fucker right?" Eagle asked. Ben nodded once. "Yeah he's doing it to get you to back off. I mean I wasn't a spy obviously, but meeting new people was just like "what the fuck do you want from me?" until I joined the Army. I can only imagine how much his uh, _work_ has contributed to that on top."

"Well that explains the phone thing," Ben said carefully, Eagle nodded his agreement and Ben took a sip of his coffee with a frown. "How do I fix it?"

"You don't," Eagle said simply as he leant back in with seat with a smirk, "If you get on alright on assignments, it'll work out eventually but it's not a slow process or anything. You have to wait for him to come to you and just be there when he wants too."

"Well, that is going to be infuriating," Ben muttered as he edged a look at Eagle. "You don't like talking about this."

"Not particularly," Eagle admitted. "But it kind of needs to be said, otherwise he is going to drive you barmy and as your best mate, I'd be a bit of a twat for saying nothing."

Ben nodded once and looked at Snake who was sat with a small smile on his face. "What do you think?"

"I think Derek is the best person you can speak to right now to at least get a starting point," Snake responded slowly before he looked at the red haired man with a wry smile. "Who knew you had a brain?"

Eagle laughed and took a sip from his drink. "Now you're just being generous. So what do you want to know?"

"Anything that can get him to stop this shit," Ben sighed. Eagle smirked and shook his head with a knowing look. "Then just anything I can do to speed it up?"

"Act like you do normally and if he does anything odd, try not to question it," Eagle said with a shrug. "Unless something drastic happens, there's not really anyway you can speed it up."

"Define drastic?" Ben asked with a smirk. Eagle gave him an amused look.

"Something that catches him off guard or breaks his poise."

"A broken Alex," Ben murmured to himself as he thought over is words he felt a twitch at the side of his lips. "It's twisted, but I find that thought to be terrifying and amusing at the same time."

"Why?" Snake asked. Ben just shook his head.

"Because he'd be so fucking dangerous you wouldn't be able to do a thing about it, except laugh."

* * *

Alex stretched out his tired muscles as he ducked into one of the college bathrooms and clicked the door closed behind him after he'd checked the room was empty. He pulled the football shirt from over his head with a sigh and looked in the mirror that ran across the wall over the sinks at his reflection.

He'd removed the bandage from his neck and tilted his head to look at the blue stitches from where the knife had been run over it and the yellow, purple tint from bruising still lingered in places on his chest and face. Alex grabbed his bag from where he'd placed it on the side and pulled out a bottle of antiseptic to clean the small splits in skin carefully as a precaution, getting sick now would put him at a most awkward place with his _roommate_. Alex acknowledged the fact things were somewhat tense in his situation with Ben right now and he knew that those small moments where they managed to exchange more than just a couple of words were amicable.

Alex leant forward, towards the mirror and poked at the darkest markings on his face. It wasn't caused by someone's fist though and tentatively he poked underneath his eyes with a sigh. He wondered to himself how long this whole situation would hold up with this feeling of lethargy he was currently feeling.

He wasn't stupid enough to believe it was just his insistence at getting back to this part of his life that was causing this amount of tiredness. The tension from the entire situation had already seeped into him, making every interaction feel like a chore when he couldn't sleep for any regular amount of time as he caught up on school work and made sure to avoid those awkward questions from Ben.

Alex unwound the bandage over his chest with practiced ease as he thought about how annoying it was in the man's presence. Alex's carefully arranged thoughts and plans for conversations being over turned when he let a little of the emotion slip or Ben picked up on something about his character that he hadn't known. He hid it well, Alex acquiesced mentally, and he knew Ben was trying to be somewhat discrete but Alex himself turned and ran a mile before it could even play out. He placed the bandage down on the side and poked the stitching over where the most bullet wound was with careful fingers. Strangely, he thought through a sleep deprived brain, it didn't hurt like he was expecting it too. It was just somewhat sore and he tipped some of the antiseptic fluid onto a swab before he took a deep breath and went about cleaning himself up somewhat after the two hour long football practice he'd just pushed himself through.

He froze when he heard the handle being pulled on as he re-wrapped the bandage and he finished the last couple of wraps before tying it off roughly and grabbing his regular clothes from his bag when he heard male talking from outside.

"Bogs are closed!" Alex felt his lips twitch at the sides as he pulled the shirt over his head at one of his teammates complaining. Alex snagged the jeans with a quick hand and pulled them over his feet before there was a response.

"Again?" Another voice called back. Alex stopped for a second when he recognised the voice of one of the remaining students from his senior years of secondary school. "Two guesses who is in there."

Alex sighed as he heard Richard Aston laugh and he pulled his jeans up to his waist and did them up quickly. He shoved his training clothes back in his bag with one hand and placed the antiseptic bottle back on top of the bags contents before he swung the backpack onto his shoulder. He paused with his hand on the lock and took a deep breath before he clicked it open. Richard turned to look at the door with a surprised face that slipped into a smirk.

"Rider. Figured as much." Richard commented confidently. Alex raised an eyebrow at him before Richard turned to the other two boys from the football team. "What do you boys reckon?"

"Who cares?" Cole replied with a short nod of greeting at Alex. For all his height and brawn, Cole was in fact one of the calmer boys on the team. Alex had never had an issue with the guy, they weren't friends as such, just more people that played in a team together. Alex silently thanked the guy who had decided to attend Brookland as the group turned and walked towards the door. "Come on Richie. We're going to the pub."

"Have fun," Alex said with a smirk. He didn't miss the scowl Richard had on his face as the two boys he was with bid him a farewell until the next training session and Alex affixed a scowl on his own face towards Richard before he turned and walked after the pair. Alex didn't move when he heard footsteps behind him and he turned his head with a raised eyebrow to see their newest coach, Sam Foray, walking towards him with an amused expression.

"A word Rider," He said calmly. Alex hesitated and the man gestured for a door to his left. "Now."

Alex eased the backpack on his shoulder and arranged a familiar smirk on his face as he walked towards the coach. Alex didn't miss the man's calm eyes watching him as he moved and he knew that the side favour he was giving had been picked up, Alex immediately sat in one of the seats without being asked to do as such as the door was pushed closed behind him. Foray let out a small laugh and pulled the whistle over his head and placed it on the desk before he sat down.

"How was training?" Foray asked calmly. Alex raised an eyebrow at him curiously. "It's time for you to level with me."

"About what?" Alex asked simply. Foray leant forwards over his desk with a light frown on his forehead.

"About how much pain you were in running sprints. About why you were actually away for so many weeks," Foray said simply.

"A bit of pain is expected. It's nothing I can't handle."

"And where you actually were?" Foray asked. Alex pinched his lips together.

"In hospital recovering from a motorbike accident," Alex returned with a smirk forming on his face as the coach showed complete disbelief in the story. "I'd be careful what you are asking."

"And why is that?" Foray asked as he leant back in his chair. Alex gave him a raised eyebrow look that made his smirk grow bigger.

"You might not like the answer," Alex returned calmly. Foray let out a laugh and he shook his head.

"You never cease to amaze me Rider," Foray admitted with a smile. "I am not sure what it is you get up too outside of this building and quite frankly, I don't care either."

"And yet you still ask."

"You are one of my best players. I'm not particularly keen on you disappearing without a word for a few weeks," Foray returned with a look that knew he was suspicious of activities, Alex narrowed his eyes slightly. "I've heard the rumours that Aston in particular is keen on divulging."

"Aston is a twat," Alex commented. Foray made a non-committal gesture with his hands.

"Maybe but rest assured, I am not believing them. You have the poise and self-control of people I once knew from my time in the Marines," Foray explained. Alex felt the hint of surprise on his face and Foray responded with his own smirk. "No need to be surprised."

"Consider me intrigued, not surprised," Alex commented offhandedly. "What do you want?"

"I want to know you can handle the crap Aston is going to throw at you when I swap you with him in a couple of weeks," Foray said simply. Alex felt the smirk come onto his face for real this time.

"I don't think I'll have too many problems," Alex returned confidently. Foray narrowed his eyes slightly before he nodded.

"Good. One final thing," Foray said slowly. "You aren't planning on going for another _motorbike ride_ before the final are you?"

Alex couldn't help the laugh that left his mouth at the coach's words and he shook his head. "Not planning on it."

"Good," Foray agreed as he picked up his whistle with one hand. Alex picked up his bag from the floor, swinging it onto one shoulder easily as he turned for the door. "Rider?" Alex turned with a raised eyebrow to see Foray leant back in his chair with a somewhat humoured expression on his face. "I've taught many students, in many different areas but very few manage to leave the impression on me you have. You make sure you keep that chin up."

Alex swallowed heavily at those words as the coach stood up from his chair. "Yes Sir."

"It's Sam," Foray returned. Alex raised an eyebrow at him. "My name is Sam. Don't call me Sir."

"Okay," Alex agreed with a somewhat confused tone. "And was that all you wanted Sam?"

"For today," Foray agreed with a short nod that Alex recognised as being a formal greeting. Alex narrowed his eyes before he reciprocated the gesture and walked out of the office without looking back.

* * *

Ben stopped as he went to put the front door key into the lock when he caught sight of the TV being on from inside, he peered through the window with a frown before he opened the door quickly. Snake walked in directly behind him and Ben didn't bother to kick his shoes off before he poked his head into the lounge, he let out a sigh at Alex who was asleep on the sofa with a course book open in front of him and a half written page of notes on his notepad. He glanced at Snake and pushed a finger to his lips as he slid his shoes off and stepped into the lounge. Snake appeared at the doorway with his face showing understanding as Ben moved the textbook and notepad off the sofa and placed them on the coffee table as silently as possible. Ben gestured to the kitchen, Snake nodded as he ducked back out of the room and eased the door closed after him. Ben frowned as Alex stirred when the door clicked closed and he crept out of the room quickly, pulling the slide doors across with a cringe at the sound they made. Snake turned with two coffees in his hand and placed them on the table before taking a seat.

"Ever repeat this and I'll kill you, but if my kids end up asleep on their homework like that, I'll be a very proud Dad for their efforts."

Ben gave a small huff of laughter and took a sip of his coffee with a frown. "I never know if I should wake him up. It can't be comfortable."

"If he's at his desk then yeah. On the sofa? Nah," Snake responded quickly. "Sleeping on a desk will hurt. Especially with the soreness he's got to have right now."

Ben leant back in his chair with a sigh. "He's absolutely battered. I figured they wouldn't have just given him tea and biscuits, but he didn't know anything about the operation."

"Who knows. Maybe he'll tell you one day," Snake responded with a sip from his own drink. "Did you find out what was wrong with him?"

"Nah. I have a meeting with Jones tomorrow to clear up some of the last pieces of crap. He's been okay though, bit slow and tired looking, but not as bad as the day he discharged himself," Ben explained in a calm tone. "He's surprised me if I'm being honest. It's like he just wanted to get back to civvy life."

"Maybe he did," Snake acknowledged. "He's still young. You're probably the closest person his age he's likely to meet on our side of the line at this level."

Ben hummed his agreement and turned his eyes to the door when the sound of the TV went off. Snake gave him a questioning look that he shook his head in response to as the doors slid open from the lounge and Alex yawned as he walked through rubbing his head with a frown.

"Alright?" Ben asked in a quiet calm tone. Alex stopped dead and looked at him before his eyes flickered to Snake and back again. Alex nodded and walked to the cupboard that had the mugs in, he pulled the largest one that Ben had already figured to make sure was washed up each morning and tipped himself a drink before he turned to look back at the table.

"Hello Snake," Alex said simply, his expression was plain and his eyes not showing he was asleep a few minutes ago.

"Had a fight with Mike Tyson?" Snake asked in his normal placid tone with a dry smirk as he took a drink from his own coffee. Ben tilted his head to one side as Alex let out a huff of laughter.

"It was pretty one sided," Alex acknowledged with an assessing look towards the Scot before he looked at Ben. "Are you seeing Jones soon?"

"Yeah," Ben agreed as he pulled his phone out. "Tomorrow afternoon. You need anything?"

"Laptop," Alex responded with a shrug. "And an appointment to be cleared to drive."

"Already?" Ben asked cautiously. Alex tensed before a smirk appeared on his face. "Alright I'll ask. Need a lift to the hospital?"

"It's a ten minute walk away," Alex stated with a carefully arranged disdainful expression. Ben levelled him an easy smile, so different from the plain faced expression he would have given prior to the numerous conversations with the others, and Alex narrowed his eyes at him suspiciously for the effort. Snake was looking between them with an amused expression and Alex looked at the medic with an assessing look, Ben knew what was coming.

"How's the shoulder?" Alex asked with a smirk. Ben glanced at Snake to see he'd tensed and the medic shrugged it out quickly.

"Better thanks," Snake returned in his normal placid tone. "Good eye."

"Remember it," Alex commented dismissively as he walked out of the room with his cup in hand. Ben waited until he heard the bedroom door closed upstairs as Snake glanced at the ceiling and shook his head with a small chuckle.

"Well I'll consider that my warning," Snake said with an exaggerated incredulous face. Ben laughed gently. "He does that to you?"

"All the time. Think I should get you all over, will give me a night off."

"It's just him letting you know not to underestimate him. Besides I'm working with Wolf at the moment, I don't think you want to put them together for a few days at least," Snake explained as he placed his mug down on the table. Ben cringed slightly and the medic gave him a small smile. "It's got to be sorted."

"Yeah I know," Ben agreed he glanced up at the ceiling, he looked back at Snake to see careful eyes watching him. "What?"

"It's normal. Remember how cagey we were towards him? He's an operative not a normal teenager, however much he manages to act like one," Snake advised. Ben nodded his agreement and took a long drink from his mug in thought.

"He didn't like the casual approach."

"Casual approach is personal. It will disconcert him more than you acting like an agent," Snake said with a shrug. "He'll deal with it in his own way. I would already say he did."

"His tone changed," Ben agreed. "I wonder how many of these different faces he has."

"Regardless, he's still just one person behind them all- " Snake stopped when there was a knock on the door and looked into the hall behind him. "You expecting someone?"

"No," Ben replied as he stood up, he grabbed the weapon from the table that Sheath had dropped off for his _guests_ protection and he slid the safety off and tucked it into the belt at his jeans before he slid the jacket back over the top. He heard Snake stand up behind him as he walked into the hall and up to the front door. Ben took a deep breath as he pulled the door open to see three people that rung a vague memory in his mind on the doorstep.

"Hello," He said with a calm tone and small smile as he looked each one over carefully, eyes stopping on the dark haired young woman that looked at him curiously behind wet green eyes. He moved his eyes back to the man stood slightly ahead of the other two.

"We're looking for Alex," The man said, he had a slight hint of an American accent on the vowels and Ben gave him a careful eye.

"And you are?"

"Edward Pleasure. He was our ward," Edward explained quickly in a somewhat annoyed tone. Ben frowned and his eyes flicked upstairs. He made a phone gesture to Snake behind the door and he heard the medic move behind him. Ben stood to one side.

"Come in. I'll get him."

Ben showed them into the lounge where the older woman he assumed was Edwards wife sat down hesitantly and the other two stayed stood up. He gave them a confident smile before he turned back into the hall. Snake handing him his phone discretely. Ben leant towards him with a frown. "Can you grab them a drink or whatever? I just want to clear this."

"Course," Snake agreed as he walked into the lounge with a smile on his face. Ben dialled the familiar number and heard the offer of coffee declined as he walked up the stairs. He gave his agent details when they were asked for after just one ring and he was put through to Jones.

"The Pleasures. Who are they?"

" _They are there?"_

"Yes," Ben responded. "Is it a problem?"

" _No. If Alex shows any unrest, I suggest you ask them to leave."_

"Sure," Ben agreed, there was a pause and Ben waited for her to speak.

" _Daniels. Keep an eye on him."_

The dial tone cut in and Ben rolled his eyes at the screen as he knocked on Alex's door and pushed it open without waiting for a response. The blonde turned to look at him quickly and Ben saw for the first time a true wince as he twisted in his seat. He ignored it and felt the frown pull at his forehead, "You have visitors."

Alex raised an eyebrow at him without the normal smirk with a tired confused look in his eye. "Who?"

"The Pleasures," Ben responded simply. He saw the momentary panic that came over Alex's face before it disappeared into the resilient face of indifference. "They're in the lounge. If you need anything, I'll be in the kitchen."

Alex just nodded once and Ben shut the door as he left and walked back down to Snake's company. He glanced at the family in his lounge as he walked past and shook his head at Snake.

"Who?"

"His previous guardians," Ben murmured as he sat down, eyes checking the slide lounge doors were open before he gave Snake a serious look. " _They_ don't think it will go too well."

* * *

It took him almost five minutes to steel his mind about the announcement of his visitors. Alex took a deep breath when he reached the bottom of the stairs and glanced at Ben who was watching him carefully. He hesitated before he opened the door, ducking his head and grimacing at the thought of what was on the other side. He spared another glance at Ben and the man gave him a reassuring look. Alex immediately twisted the door handle to get away from that expression.

"Alex," Sabina breathed as he first walked in. He felt a body barrel into him and arms that came to hug him around the waist. He looked down to see the dark head of hair and he awkwardly patted her back when he felt a hint of tears through his t-shirt. He looked up again to see her mother sit down again from where she'd stood up when he entered the room. He didn't miss the look of disbelief on her face before her hand covered her mouth, her face turning pale behind it. He swallowed heavily before he looked to the only other male in the room.

Edward Pleasure had a hint of surprise on his face, but it was mostly masked by a furious expression. Alex raised an eyebrow at him, and the man didn't look away as he had done in all previous times and it was with a silent sigh that Alex eased Sabina away from him with gentle hands on her shoulders. He saw the tear stained face look back at him and he felt himself crack a little at the thought he'd caused that, he didn't show it though and just gave her a grim smile. She let out a small sob with a look that screamed _I'm glad you're okay_ that he'd seen so many times on Jack's face that it made him tense. His eyes flicked to Edward who was looking between them with barely restrained fury and Alex nodded towards Liz.

"Go sit down, Sab," Alex said quietly. She hesitated and looked over her shoulder at her father who gave her a scolding look. The silence grew around him when Sabina walked away and sat down next to her Mother with a frown on her face, a thoughtful look that was ruined only by the wetness of her tears on her cheeks. Alex knew she would be confused by this turn of events and he resolved to try to explain it later, even though he was sure she already knew the majority of what was going on. Alex turned his eyes to look at Edward Pleasure when Sabina passed Liz a tissue and whispered something to her in a comforting tone. Alex heard movement through the open slide doors to the kitchen and the sound of a mug being placed on the kitchen table, he really didn't want to have an audience for this. But then, the look at fury that Edward Pleasure was trying to restrain logically provided maybe it wasn't such a bad thing. Alex flicked his eyes back to the man that had agreed to take him in when he took a step towards the window. Alex waited for him to speak before he made any effort to move.

"Why Alex," Edward Pleasure started carefully in a tone Alex was sure Edward thought was calm but missed by a long way, "Did I have to receive a call from someone at a _military intelligence_ to tell me you were alive?"

Alex refrained his cringe from the biggest question being the first, and he saw Ben appear in the archway as he leant against the wall with his coffee mug in hand. Alex swallowed heavily, he should have been annoyed but then he knew the tone wouldn't have been missed by the older agent. Alex glanced at his side to see a weapon concealed beneath his jacket and he moved his eyes back to Edward as he turned.

"Answer me," Edward demanded in a louder than normal agitated voice and Alex just watched his face as he thought over an appropriate answer turn redder by the second.

"I have nothing I can say," Alex responded calmly after a long pause. In the corner of his eye, he saw Ben drain the last of the coffee from his mug before he placed it down and stood up a little straighter from where he was leant against the wall. Edward simply pinched the bridge of his nose in front of him.

"How long?" Edward asked as he looked up, his tone quieter now. Alex knew that wasn't necessarily a good thing and he debated telling him the truth. Edward narrowed his eyes and took a step towards him. "How long have you been working for _them_?"

"This was the first one since we got back," Alex lied, attempting to adjust his stance and letting his hands drop to his side in faux-casualness. He tried to ignore the look Sabina gave him and instead looked at Ben who shook his head minutely in silent confirmation he hadn't pulled the line off. Alex tensed at that and looked back to see Edward looking at his daughter before he lifted his eyes back to meet Alex's with a serious look.

"You are a liar. Why would you do this?" Edward asked in a tone that denoted anger and disappointment at the same time. Alex stared at the man's nose, not wanting to look at the eye's that he knew would portray both those emotions in them clearer that he wanted to see. Alex took a deep breath and forced himself to relax, resolute that he was not answering that particular question with certain people in the house. He knew he wouldn't have to wait long Edward's temper was somewhat short and that eventually he would yell in his frustration. "Why after I worked to get you away from this? I took you into my home. Into my family. I gave you permission to date my daughter. I even arranged for you to have your own place when you told me you wanted to move out. Why after all that did you think of even going back? We gave you everything we could for you to adjust to being a civilian and then you go and do this!"

Alex just changed his eyes to look at a certain point on the wall, hiding the wince as the man's yell rang in his ears. Edward took a step into his line of sight and Alex glanced at him before looking to Ben who had moved so he was stood directly in the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest and a plain faced expression. Alex was grateful for the lack of response rather than judgement and he looked back at Edward with calm eyes that showed no emotion of his own. There were minutes of silence and eventually Edward backed down first and looked to his wife.

"Go get the car, Liz," Edward issued shortly. Alex looked at Sabina as Liz urged her to follow her and she shook her head quickly giving her Mother a pointed look. He saw Liz look at him with a lingering wistful smile, before she ducked her head and walked out of the room and through the front door, heels clicking against the laminate floor in the hallway. He knew he wouldn't be seeing her again. Alex turned his eyes resolutely back to Edward Pleasure with an internal sigh as the man's eyes flickered to Sabina before moving back to him. He held a hand up, one finger pointing at him in a threatening gesture. Ben immediately moved forwards and Alex waved a hand at his side, surprised when Ben stopped and leant back against the wall so casually Alex almost missed how serious his eyes were.

" _You_ are to stay away from my family," Edward issued with the finger tapping against his front roughly. Alex tensed completely at the condescending contact and Ben stood up straight as Sabina jumped up from her seat beside him.

"He's my best friend Dad, you can't-"

"I can and I am Sabina," Edward said with a punishing look at her, he turned his eyes back to Alex. "You come anywhere near her and I will ensure the world finds out about you and everything you did at 14. Your chance to ever go back from this will evaporate as quickly as the papers can print."

Alex swallowed heavily and he saw Ben's eyebrows rise ever in response to that threat. Alex looked evenly back at Edward as Sabina walked over and tried to pull Edward's hand away from where that one finger was resting against his chest.

"Dad, please!" Sabina pleaded seriously, something Alex was vaguely surprised at. Edward looked at her for a moment before he balled the hand into a fist and nodded to the door.

"We're leaving," Edward stated as he stepped around Alex, Sabina took no step towards him and Edward stopped in the doorway. "Now Sabina."

Alex looked at Sabina who shook her head resolutely, "I'm not leaving. If he is back there he needs us-"

"He made his bed," Edward cut across in a cold stern tone with a venomous look at Alex before he turned his eyes to Sabina. "Unless you want to make one of a very similar nature, you will go get in the car."

Alex didn't look at her as he heard her breath hitch in her throat beside him, there was no doubting the threat behind the man's words and he knew the response before she even moved. He felt her pull him into a hug that rang with _goodbye_ and leant her head against his shoulder. He didn't move his hands from by his side though and when she whispered _I'm sorry_ by his ear he just nodded mutely. He felt her grip tighten around him as Edward Pleasure took a step towards them and placed his hands under her arms and pulled her away. Alex just watched as she tried to jerk out of her father's grip with a scowl, but Edward just yanked her arm away eliciting a wince on her face. Alex clenched his fists together and he heard a tap on the wall from where Ben was now stood with his arms at the side and tension signs in his stance. It was as Sabina tried to wrench her wrist out of Edward's grip that a hand caught her face.

Alex knew it was an accident when she grabbed her face in surprise but he reacted instantly, taking two quick steps, he pushed Sabina behind him before he grabbed both of Edward's arms, twisting them up and around his back to keep them away from her. He heard two sets of footsteps move immediately. One behind him and a hand that wasn't familiar, but not completely alien, grabbed his shoulder gently.

"Let him go," Ben cautioned in a tone he could only describe as soothing. Alex hesitated before he felt that hand tighten on his shoulder as a repeat warning and he pushed the eldest Pleasure forwards to the floor. Alex took a step back as Ben applied a little pressure to his shoulder as a prompt and he watched with dull eyes as Sabina looked between the two of them, a lingering apologetic look at Alex before she turned and ran out of the door. He turned his eyes back to the man he'd disabled who Snake was talking to quietly and trying to help up from where Alex had shoved him to the ground. Edward levelled Snake a glare and spat a curse word at him. He felt the hand tighten on his shoulder at the reaction and Alex pulled his own scowl onto his face on behalf of the medic.

"I think it's time you left," Ben said from behind him. Alex didn't flinch at how cold it sounded and Edward looked between all three of them before he gave Alex a disdainful look.

"You belong with them."

"Get out," Alex spat in a tone so venomous he almost wondered if it came from his own mouth. Edward turned to look over his shoulder with a distasteful look before he slammed the door closed behind him. There were a few moments silence and Alex wrenched his shoulder from Ben's grip roughly and turned to look at him from the hall. "I don't need your help Ben."

"We both know how much damage you can do," Ben countered in a voice that was so calm Alex felt it drain a lot of his own anger. Alex forced himself to take a deep breath, he felt a frown move into his forehead and he closed his eyes for a moment to regain some composure. When he opened them he leant back against the stairs with a sigh, and gave Ben a plain look. "You're better than me. I would have lost my shit at the finger."

Alex nodded his acknowledgement and looked at Snake, "Enjoy the show?"

"Not particularly," Snake responded placidly. "You want a coffee?"

Alex blinked once in surprise and wiped the expression from his face. He saw Ben's amused smile and he looked between the two of them with a raised eyebrow. Ben let out a light huff of laughter. "We lived with Wolf that episode pales in comparison to some of the shit that guy gets up to."

"Right," Alex responded awkwardly as he glanced over Snake's shoulder at the coffee pot. Snake turned with a shrug and Alex looked to Ben as he gestured with his eyes to the kitchen. Alex frowned and Ben walked ahead of him through the hallway. He paused in the doorway when he saw three mugs of coffee on the table. He took the one by the free seat and leant back against a counter near the window. Ben looked at him with a curious look.

"You want me to report that or not?"

"No," Alex responded simply. Ben nodded his agreement with a thoughtful look on his face.

"You knew that would happen?" Ben asked casually. Alex gave him a serious look before he swallowed heavily and shrugged.

"Something along those lines," Alex looked at the front door with a lingering look before he turned his eyes back with a plain face to Ben who was watching him carefully. "Stop studying me, Ben."

"Just trying to figure out if you're okay," Ben returned easily, Alex spotted no tell and he scoffed.

"I'm fine."

"You're always fucking fine," Ben muttered a little too loudly as he took a drink from his cup. Alex gave him a raised eyebrow look and Ben placed the cup down with a sigh. "Three months of eggshells is going to suck."

"No shit," Alex muttered in return feeling a smirk come onto his face. Ben let out a huff of laughter and Alex felt the responding smile on his face at the sound as he silently let out his own huff. He saw Snake looked between them with a careful eye and Alex took a deep breath to calm his features again.

"When stuff goes wrong, laugh and then run like mad," Ben explained. Snake raised an eyebrow at him with amused look in his eye. Alex saw Ben look at him thoughtfully with a residual smile on his face from the laugh. "I'm not going to look after you."

"I'm okay with that."

"I will get pissed if you don't do the things you need too like eat or sleep," Ben said carefully. Alex raised an eyebrow at him. "But other than that, do whatever the hell you would do in your own place."

"And in return?"

"Don't be a jackass. Treat me like you would any other time I would see you," Ben responded with a shrug. Alex swallowed heavily and pinched his lips together in thought, wondering if acting like he would normally around the man would be okay. He glanced at Snake who was sat in silence as he took a sip from his coffee and wondered why the medic wasn't saying anything in addition.

"You'll do the same in return?" Alex asked as he turned his eyes back to Ben as the man nodded once in response.

"As long as you are doing yourself no harm."

Alex looked at the floor for a second before he raised his eyes to Ben again. "I won't speak to you about stuff."

"Wouldn't expect you too," Ben responded, there was a pause and he gestured at Snake. "I will also attempt to make sure these guys don't bother asking when they are here as well."

Alex wrapped his hands around his mug carefully and narrowed his eyes at Ben with a frown, until he was satisfied there were no lies being told and he stood up to full height and walked for the door. He paused before he exited the room with one last assessing look at Ben as he held up his mug in mock toast.

"Guess that's a deal then."


	10. Chapter 10

**Warnings:** Language. Violence.

 **Disclaimer:** This is a work of FanFiction using characters from the Alex Rider series, intellectual property and copyright of Anthony Horowitz.

* * *

Alex snapped his eyes open when he heard the knock on the door. He blinked carefully, the sunlight from his left open curtains hitting his eyes before he rolled over and heard voices through his open window. He stood up when he heard Ben's bedroom door opened and he hurried out of bed and pulled his own door open as Ben walked past, headed for the stairs.

"Morning," Ben mumbled. Alex gave him an amused smirk.

"You look like shit in the mornings."

"Nice to see you too," Ben returned with no bite as he rubbed his eyes and walked down the stairs. Alex took a couple of silent steps as Ben undid the dead lock and pulled the door open. Alex ducked his head when he heard the man groan to see the source of his annoyance as Eagle walked in with a grin.

"Lazy fucker Benjy. Get dressed," Eagle announced. Alex tilted his head to one side at the smile the man had on his face as Snake walked in.

"He was driving me insane," Snake commented with a wry smirk. Alex stood up quickly when the Scot looked at the stairs. "Morning Cub."

Alex took a deep breath and steeled himself to keep up his side of the deal before he took a step down with a plain face. Eagle looked up at him and his grin doubled in width.

"Cub!" Eagle greeted exuberantly. Alex raised an eyebrow at him. "What?"

"Do you normally act like an idiot?" Alex asked in dry tone. The red head stared at him for a second before he laughed, Alex rolled his eyes and walked down the rest of the stairs. "I guess so."

He heard Ben laugh as Alex pushed the front door closed with one hand and pushed past the others and headed for the kitchen to get a cup of coffee. He hesitated for a second and turned in the doorway with a frown. "Am I supposed to offer to make coffee?"

Ben gave him a half smile as he shrugged. "These gits know where the pot is. I'm black –"

"No sugar," Alex finished with a roll of the eyes. "I know."

Alex walked into the kitchen quickly, rubbing the side of his neck where the stitches were as he poured out two mugs of coffee and he placed one on the table as Ben walked in with an amused expression. Alex put his drink down and pulled the fridge open as he peered inside the chilled unit. Ben just took a sip of his coffee as Eagle crept into the room with a shush motion.

"Attention!" Eagle barked loudly. Alex jumped and his head hit the top of the fridge with a thud before he stood up with a scowl. Ben snorted into his coffee and Eagle burst into laughter, Snake just gave him an amused look.

"Motherfucker," Alex muttered as he rubbed the back of his head with a wince. He looked at Ben who was smothering his laugh behind his mug. "You didn't tell me they were coming over."

"I'm as surprised as you, they do this sometimes," Ben shrugged before he nodded at the fridge. "What you looking for?"

"Something for breakfast," Alex muttered as he gave Eagle a warning glare and pulled the unit open again.

"Cereal?" Ben offered. Alex shrugged.

"That'll do," Alex muttered as he took a long swig from his drink and pulled open a cupboard and looked inside with a raised eyebrow, pointedly ignoring the smirk Ben had on his face as he went to open another cupboard.

"The big cupboard in the corner," Ben gestured with one hand and Alex nodded once. "Since when do you eat in the morning?"

"Since I have football training," Alex returned calmly. He felt three pairs of eyes look at his back and he turned with a plain faced expression and a box of Weetabix. Snake looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Problem Snake?"

"Not at all," Snake returned after a brief pause. "I just figured you wouldn't be doing anything physical anytime soon."

Alex gave him a disdainful look before he pulled two of the Weetabix from the box with a frown and dumped them in a bowl. He moved back to the fridge with another glare at Eagle, the man laughed at him as he pulled the milk out.

"You're a right sulk," Eagle commented. Alex turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow. "Almost as bad as Benjy in the morning."

"Stop calling me that," Ben muttered as he kicked the red haired man's leg roughly. Eagle swore and rubbed his shin as he moved out of kicking range and Alex gave them a semi-amused look before he added milk to his bowl. Alex held the bottle out to Eagle and the red haired man looked at it with a confused expression.

"For your coffee," Alex stated as he picked up his bowl and plucked a spoon from the drawer. Eagle took it with a smirk.

"Are you a mind reader?" Eagle asked. Alex looked at him with a dry look.

"You drank coffee while you painted the lounge. I'm a spy. I'm sure you can figure out the rest," Alex responded as he dropped the spoon into the bowl and picked up his mug. Ben watched him go with a small smirk and Alex rolled his eyes.

"What time you got training?" Ben asked. Alex paused in the doorway.

"About an hour, I'll be out all day."

"Training?" Ben asked.

"Yes _Benjy_ ," Alex replied dismissively as he left the room and walked back upstairs to get himself ready to get out of the house and back into some form of reality that didn't involve conversations with a spy and two SAS soldiers.

* * *

"Was that a psych out?" Eagle asked after the front door had closed behind the blonde. Ben looked at him and nodded.

"Did it to me as well," Snake commented with a smirk. "Funny right?"

"Not funny "haha"," Eagle said as he sat down at the table with amused eyes. "More funny "we're so fucked"."

"I did warn you," Ben commented with a laugh. Snake made a non-committal noise and took a sip of his coffee.

"Whatever. Stuff seems better?"

"He's given up with the arrogant act since that twat was here last week," Ben agreed, Snake nodded his agreement and Eagle looked between them with a curious look.

"What twat?"

"Old guardian," Ben commented with a dismissive look. "Came in here shouting his mouth off at him about staying away from his family or some shit."

"Cub's ex seemed more upset than him," Snake commented. Eagle looked at him with a grin. "Don't look like that it wasn't nice, Derek."

"So why does he have to stay away from them? I wouldn't say he's a bad kid," Eagle said with a frown. "Bit of a shit maybe, but not a bad kid."

"They took him in and tried to get him to adjust to civilian life," Ben returned with another sip of his coffee. Eagle's eyebrows rose ever so slightly. "To be fair to Alex he just stood there and took everything they said. He only reacted when the guy accidently hit his friend."

"Accidentally?" Eagle echoed with a disbelieving expression.

"Looked like it, she was trying to say goodbye to Alex and her father obviously thought enough was enough so tried to drag her out the room," Ben explained. "Can't say I blame Alex. I would probably have throttled the twat rather than just restrain him though."

"Damn right," Eagle agreed as he took a sip of his drink. "So that drastic thing happened."

Ben laughed and shrugged. "Apparently so, not that I'm complaining, I can live with him now at least."

"Looks better than just being able to live with him," Snake commented. "It seemed almost friendly."

Ben felt himself laugh as he shook his head. "Maybe in relation to what you two are like with him. We still doing drinks here tomorrow night?"

"Of course," Eagle said as he leant back and slouched down in his seat. "We got to get you and Luke on talking terms. He's a lot less grouchy now."

"Well that's something. I can let Alex know so he can get out of the house or whatever," Ben commented. "Not so sure that's a reunion I want to see."

"I don't know," Eagle said as he leant forward with a mischievous look. "I like this Cub. He could be fun to put with Luke."

"I'm not refereeing that," Snake said as he placed his cup down on the table. Ben felt a laugh leave his mouth again and he leant his head over the back of the chair with a look at Snake.

"You know it will happen. If I get lumped with this, you all do," Ben said with a smirk. Snake groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I can already feel the headache."

"I'd like to see that," Eagle said with a grin at Ben. "We should scheme."

Snake took a drink from his mug with a tut. "Just don't even bother. Someone will end up either hurt or dead if you put those two together now."

"Someone?" Eagle asked incredulously. "We all know how hard Luke can hit."

"I don't think Alex would aim to hurt him physically," Ben commented with a smirk. Eagle's mouth fell open before it twisted into a grin.

"We have to make this happen," Eagle said seriously as he leant forwards. "I'd love to see a smart mouth against Luke's meat head. You have to admit the thought is funny."

Ben laughed as Snake slid down in his chair with a groan. "I'm going to agree with Quinn and say not this week. I've got to talk my way out of shit first."

"So boring. The pair of you," Eagle grumbled as he took a drink from his mug. Ben felt the smile on his face as he realised Eagle was really just as pleased at that response as he was at the thought of Wolf and Alex going toe to toe. Ben looked at Snake with a raised eyebrow.

"Gym?" he asked. Snake nodded and Eagle grinned.

"With Derek."

"Yay," Ben muttered as he drained his coffee and ran upstairs to get changed into his gym gear leaving an indignant Eagle behind him.

* * *

Alex pushed the front door open with a yawn that evening and glanced into the kitchen, he frowned to himself when he saw the back door open and peered his head through to try to see if Ben was outside. He paused when he heard laughter followed by a crash. Alex tilted his head to one side and crossed the kitchen to see Ben laughing over Eagle who apparently had fallen backwards into the shed. He felt his lips tilt upwards as Ben didn't offer to help him out and instead laughed more as Eagle swore when something else in the shed fell over.

"Funny?" Snake said quietly. Alex span his head to see the Scot smoking a cigarette leant against the house with a smirk as he watched the pair.

"What are they doing?" Alex asked with a humoured tone as Eagle and Ben moved back to the centre of the garden.

"Combat training," Snake returned simply. Alex raised an eyebrow at him but Snake didn't catch the gesture and Alex turned his eyes back to the garden as Eagle lunged forwards and Ben blocked a jab easily.

"Why?"

"Not my place to say," Snake commented offhandedly. Alex looked at him to see Snake give a pointed look at Ben.

"Ben's alright at hand to hand though," Alex returned quietly as he turned his eyes back to see Eagle grab Ben's neck and twist him to the ground easily. Alex raised an eyebrow at the scene. "Or not."

"He will be," Snake agreed, Alex looked at him with a frown and the medic gave him a smirk. Alex felt his mind twist in confusion and he looked at Ben carefully as he moved, noting the hesitant movements that were once fluid.

"He's not fluid," Alex stated simply. Snake looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "I mean he's hesitating. He doesn't want to hit Eagle for some reason."

"Damn spies," Snake said quietly. Alex looked at him sharply. "You think he'd hit me?"

"Maybe. I have a better idea though," Alex returned. Snake looked at him with a raised eyebrow and as Alex dropped his bag to the floor. The Scot opened his mouth to say something and Alex just gave him a sarcastic smile as he jogged down the steps and walked over to the pair with an over exaggerated confident stride. Eagle spared him a look and Ben managed to land a punch to the red haired man's stomach. Alex caught the next fist in a firm hand and Ben looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Stop slacking," Alex said with plain face. He saw Ben look between the fist and his face and Alex ducked when Ben brought his leg around, ignoring the strain before he sent an uppercut towards Ben's head with a smirk.

"I'm slacking?" Ben questioned as Alex took a step back.

"You're thinking too much." Alex returned calmly. Ben paused and narrowed his eyes suspiciously. Alex rammed the fist Ben aimed for his face off to one side with his arm and Alex twisted quickly so he was behind Ben's back and grabbed the man's neck. Ben immediately twisted and Alex felt the punch connect with his stomach that was pulled just in time. Alex tensed and yanked Ben to the floor roughly before he placed a hand against his throat.

"Well fuck you too," Ben murmured, Alex smirked and offered him a hand up. Ben took it with a faintly surprised expression as Alex tilted his head to one side curiously.

"You've changed something," Alex mused. He saw Ben tense, and he shrugged. "Fight like that on one of our assignments and you're a dead man."

Alex turned and saw Snake and Eagle talking at the bottom of the decking where he'd left his bag, Snake looked at him with a small nod. Alex started walking back towards them when he heard one footstep behind him and held one arm up with a surprised look on his face. Immediately there was another arm brought around and Alex span away with a huff of laughter.

"Nice try," Alex said with a smirk. Ben gave him a challenging look and the blonde felt the smirk leave his lips as Ben lunged at him. Alex winced when his back hit the floor and he blocked the fist aiming for his head quickly. Bringing a knee up into Ben's stomach and he scrambled upwards, ignoring the pull on the bandage on his chest as he dropped into defensive and Ben went for him again. "Faster than that."

Ben swung his left around quickly and Alex leant back with a raised eyebrow and smirk. Ben paused for a second with a slight frown and Alex hooked his knee out from behind him in that one second, Ben landed on his back with a scowl and Alex put a foot over his throat.

"You're antagonising me," Ben commented, Alex shrugged and offered him a hand up again. Ben took it with a narrowed eye look.

"It's easy too," Alex returned calmly. "I know you're better than this. Unless we're doing form fighting I shouldn't stand a chance against you with your weight and conditioning."

"Act like that shitty teenager thing you do then," Ben muttered as he stretched his legs. Alex smirked and raised an eyebrow at him. Ben reciprocated the look and Alex barely deflected the punch from the right. He scoffed and gave Ben a smug look.

"Too slow _Benjy."_

"Motherfucker," Ben muttered as he swung again and Alex span away quickly with a laugh just to feel a pulled left punch to the ribs. Ben latched one leg around the back of his knee quicker than Alex expected and he felt the shove to his shoulder. Alex rolled away with a smirk on his face and hooked his leg around Ben's ankle. He scrambled to his feet with a smug smile as Ben did the same and the older man growled before he moved forwards again. Alex felt the snap and he dropped himself into defensive easily, blocking the most he could and he felt the expression on his face drop as he concentrated on pre-meditating Ben's movements and blocking them rather than winding him up any further. Ben started to lag in his movements again and Alex immediately swung one arm around towards his face at the open opportunity pushing himself into an offensive position.

"Slacking again. Come on Ben," Alex said with a laugh. Ben scowled at him and Alex ducked from the fist he managed to get through with a surprised look.

"And you say I'm slacking," Ben stated with a quirked eyebrow as Alex lazily blocked a left hook.

"Thought you'd never ask," Alex returned as he brought a knee up towards the man's groin. Ben twisted away from with a scorned look. "Nothing's too low in a fist fight Ben."

"If that's the way you want to play it," Ben agreed as he aimed a knee towards the small of Alex's back and one hand grabbed his neck as Ben pushed him to the floor, one hand under his shoulders to soften the fall that would have been otherwise excruciating. Alex let out a surprised laugh and Ben looked at him with an amused look.

"Holy crap. That was better," Alex acknowledged the remnants of his laugh on his face. Ben grinned and offered his hand. Alex looked at it for a second before he grabbed it and Ben pulled him to his feet. Ben let out a soft laugh and nodded at the decking.

"How awkward do they look?" Ben asked. Alex glanced over his shoulder to see the other two watching them with confused expressions and Alex shrugged.

"Who cares. What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing," Ben replied, Alex caught the tense at that question and raised an eyebrow at him. "You don't believe me."

"No," Alex confirmed with a smirk. Ben ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath.

"Damn spies," Ben commented easily. Alex gave him an amused look before he headed back towards the decking. He heard Ben follow after him and Snake held up the gym bag with one hand as he approached. Alex looked at it warily before he took it and slung it over one shoulder.

"Thanks," Alex murmured quietly.

"How was training?" Ben asked quickly. Alex turned to look at him with a shrug.

"Nowhere near as fun as that was," Alex returned calmly. He looked at Eagle with a narrow eyed look. "You're faster with your left by the way. I have no idea why you go right first."

Eagle's eyes opened a little in surprise and Alex gave him a shrug before he walked past the pair and back into the kitchen. He took a bottle of water from the fridge and moved back to the door as Ben and Eagle retook their positions in the centre of the garden again. He leant against the door frame as Eagle punched with his left first and Ben started responding. He heard Snake give a disbelieving huff of laughter and Alex stood upright as the medic looked at him with an amused expression. Alex just gave Snake a small nod before he yawned and headed back into the house and up to his room to do more coursework.

* * *

Ben took the beer and threw his feet up on his coffee table as Snake slumped onto the sofa at the other end. Eagle shoved the DVD they were watching into the tray and turned with the remote in his hand.

"You want to ask Cub if he wants to watch it?" Eagle asked with a frown. Ben glanced at the ceiling before he shook his head.

"If he wanted company he'd be down here," Ben replied calmly. Snake gave him an amused look and Ben raised an eyebrow at him. "What?"

"Just thinking I can see why they partnered you," Snake said with a shrug. Ben rolled the beer bottle in his hands with a smirk, "He challenges you."

"He knows how to annoy me."

"Like that combat training?" Eagle asked as he picked up his beer from the coffee table and sat on the second sofa. Ben thought about that for a second before he nodded.

"Pretty much," Ben agreed with a frown, "I'm pleasantly surprised he got involved at all."

"He could see you were hesitant about hitting Derek," Snake explained, "I asked if he thought you would hit me and he just walked over after giving me a sarcastic look."

"Perceptive," Eagle stated with a small laugh. Ben felt a smile appear on his face.

"I wouldn't normally hit him to be fair, he just knows how to get under my skin with just a couple of words," Ben explained, Snake raised an eyebrow at him. "Just taunts and stuff."

"Well it worked. I'm not going to complain," Snake said simply. The door clicked open upstairs and Ben put a finger on his lips as quiet footsteps walked down the stairs. Ben leant his head back on the sofa when he heard them pass the door.

"You want some takeaway? We're ordering Indian," Ben said loudly. He heard the footsteps stop and Alex's head appeared in the doorway with a frown.

"Can I just have a naan?"

"That all?" Ben asked. Alex nodded. "You ate at training?"

"Yeah," Alex agreed a bit too quick for it to be completely honest. Ben was going to question it before he nodded.

"How's the course work?"

"Shit but getting there," Alex returned with a shrug as he looked at the TV. "What you watching?"

"James Bond," Eagle replied with a smirk. Alex gave the red haired man an unamused look.

"That's real original Eagle," Alex commented sarcastically. Ben laughed and Alex looked at the beers. "You guys don't want a coffee?"

"Nah, drinking," Snake replied as he turned his head round with a smile and held up his bottle. Alex nodded and Ben frowned slightly.

"We're doing unit drinks here tomorrow," Ben said carefully. Alex tilted his head and Ben looked thoughtful for a second and Alex's eyes widened slightly.

"Wolf?" Alex asked plainly. Ben didn't miss the way Alex didn't seem to sound all that bothered and he nodded once in response. Alex looked to think something over for a second before he shrugged. "I'll stay out of the way."

"I doubt he'd say anything," Snake commented easily. Alex gave him an amused look.

"I don't give a crap about that," Alex said with a non-caring expression, "But I figure Wolf and Ben have a few things to sort."

Ben felt himself tense and knew it wasn't missed as Alex's lips tilted upwards at the sides, he took a swig of his beer before he spoke. "You talking about that argument you walked into?"

"What argument?" Alex asked with a confused look.

"The night you turned up here."

Alex frowned before realisation showed on his face. "Oh no, Jones had to tell me I even came here. I remember fuck all after getting off the coach at Victoria."

"Nothing?" Eagle asked with a confused look.

"I remember it was cold and that I was too slow at walking," Alex frowned for a second. "Actually I remember I was going to go to sleep outside a library. I should have just done that, it would have been easier."

Ben snapped his head up to look at Alex as he pushed himself away from the doorframe and the blonde padded into the kitchen. Ben heard the kettle being flicked on and Ben turned his eyes to look at the coffee table with a frown. He pushed himself to his feet and Eagle shook his head at him quickly. Ben gave him a questioning look and Snake grabbed his wrist and pulled him back down on the sofa with a pointed look. Ben bounced his leg as he heard coffee being tipped into a mug and went to lean forwards as Alex walked passed again, only for Snake to push his shoulders back onto the sofa. Ben frowned and gave him a questioning look that Snake didn't respond too and he took a swig of his beer instead. Eagle laughed the minute the door upstairs clicked closed and Ben gave him an annoyed look.

"Sorry, your curiosity is the funniest thing," Eagle said through his laughter. Ben just rolled his eyes and looked at Snake as Eagle tried to take a deep breath. Snake shrugged with an amused smile.

"Just tell me why you did that?" Ben asked with a confused tone, "I was only going to ask him what he meant."

"You think he would have answered you?" Snake asked with a smirk. Ben clicked his mouth closed and pinched his lips together.

"Fine," Ben edged. "As you guys have this whole super Cub understanding thing. Do I ever mention that again?"

"No." Eagle said with a shrug. Ben leant his head back on the sofa as he thought the words over. Ben shut his eyes with a deep breath and read the sentence backwards slowly. He snapped his eyes open and lifted his head with a frown when realisation of what the sentence meant and he looked to the ceiling, he saw Eagle and Snake give him questioning looks and Ben ran a hand over his face at his own stupidity. He looked at the pair of them, considering his words carefully before he spoke in a quiet tone.

"He doesn't think he's worth helping."

* * *

"Mr Constantine is here to see you Mr Davies."

Davies looked at the short, demure woman as she peered through the door and kept her eyes averted from the scene. He nodded once and held up a hand. The woman disappeared through the opening immediately as Doctor Three held up the pair of pliers with a tilted to the side head as he looked at the blonde man strapped into the seat. Cold blue eyes turned his eyes back to look at the man sat on the opposite side of the table.

"You need to tell us," Davies stated. "How Rider got away and what he got away with."

"I already told you!" Prudek yelled in desperation. Three stepped forwards and eased a pinky finger in between the pliers. Prudek yanked back on the arm restraints, "Padre said he would sort it."

"Padre is a little caught up currently."

"I want to speak with him," Prudek demanded, Davies leant forwards with an amused look.

"You are hardly in a position to be making demands Dimitri," Davies returned with a smirk. "Padre is working on clearing up the mess you made. We need to know what Rider took from you."

"Nothing!" Prudek yelled.

"Take it off," Davies stated simply. Three gave a dirty little smile as he squeezed the handles together on the pliers. Davies stood up with a sigh as Prudek started screaming, he looked directly at Three. "Do what you must, find out the information. If he dies in the process, so be it."

"Of course," Three agreed with a dirty smirk as the pliers clicked together and he held up a pinky finger in front of Prudek's face. Davies walked from the room without looking back and headed towards the office at the end of the corridor. He encountered nobody on the journey, not that he expected too, they kept their employee's sparse in order to hold secrecy. All 47 operatives under their command were operational, positioned in various positions in intelligence agencies and other criminal establishments while they primed the underground training area on the small island of Furugelm.

Davies pushed against one wall, the concealed door giving way to a plush office deep within the basement levels of the facility. It wasn't his office of course, it was Triglav's, the leader of the operation known formally as Libra and the man that very soon would have acquired another outlet from Prudek, another tiny building block in a much bigger plan. Davies pushed the door closed behind him as there was a pained yell echoing down the hall and his lips tilted upwards at the side as he spotted the blonde head of hair sat near to his desk reading a file.

"Constantine," Davies greeted formerly as he approached the desk and sat down on the opposite side of it. The assassin looked at him plainly and nodded once.

"Davies."

Davies smirked at that, it wasn't his real name. But it was his most common. "You have taken a particular interest in my files."

"I am curious," Constantine agreed as he placed the file back on the desk gently. "It is quite an amazing feat you have managed to arrange. My partner sends his regards for the Bolivian operation last month."

"Of course," Davies agreed with a curt nod. "He sends notification of the agents he wishes to negotiate with?"

"No," Constantine replied calmly his lips twitching at the sides. "I will negotiate on his behalf."

"I'm afraid the terms are laid out by Triglav prior to each operation of our requirements."

"I believe I can offer you something better," Constantine replied simply. Davies looked at him with slightly narrowed eyes and gestured his onwards. "You are building towards something much bigger than any of us anticipated. I however feel my services have almost run their course with my superior and am curious as to what other offers lay on the table."

There was a long pause and Davies picked up the file and flicked it open with one hand. "You are offering your services to us?"

"For a fee of course," Constantine agreed.

"Your price?" Davies asked bluntly. Constantine almost smiled at that and he leant back in his chair. Davies spotted the pistol concealed at his hip and raised an eyebrow in question.

"No literal price," Constantine commented. "Aside from living costs, I require nothing. I do however wish to be involved on your plans."

"Your face is recognisable," Davies stated.

"As is yours, just not to the authorities," Constantine agreed. "I am an assassin Davies, not an undercover operative. From what I understand you are severely lacking any with my personal skills."

Davies shut the file and leant back in his chair with a smirk and nodded once. "As a primary skill set, we are. Why do you feel that is something we would need?"

"I understand you currently have Prudek in a cell here," Constantine commented calmly. "I expect very soon he shall be dead and the corporation known as Biosyn Technologies to be claimed by someone no one in our allegiance recognises, despite Prudek's obviously deviant choices in treatments. Treatments that could be called effective in allowing previously unwilling operatives to perform to another's command."

"The treatments you speak of are not complete," Davies commented offhandedly. "They are experimental at best."

"And yet you seek to obtain them."

"Naturally," Davies agreed. "The income from Biosyn's legal treatments shouldn't go to waste."

Constantine leant forwards in his chair with his own knowing smirk on his face. "We both know there is more to this. As do many of the other, younger, officials in the affiliations you have made."

Davies narrowed his eyes gently. "A belief you can run an organisation the size of the one you are currently a part of is a big claim André."

"I do not claim as such," Constantine stated as he sat up with a straight back. "I do not wish to lead anything, least of all an organisation that bears no interest to me. However the organisation itself holds prospects, be it the operatives or the products."

"The Australian?"

"None of my concern," Constantine replied calmly. "It should be known however he has become lackadaisical and rather volatile."

"And you come to us why?"

"I do not wish to be caught in the crossfire."

There was a long silence following that statement and Davies looked at the blonde man sat opposite him carefully. His face was plain, he had long since emerged as one of the most dangerous assassins in the world following Gregorovich's death. His personality was to remain loyal to those he worked for, having done so when Scorpia had gone under and choosing to keep his allegiance with one of the few remaining leaders of the old corporation.

In all, he was an asset. Lethal, professional, emotionless in all the right ways. Davies met his eye again for a second before he nodded once.

"I will consult your offer with Triglav and Welsh," Davies stated simply. Constantine leant back in the chair with a thoughtful look.

"And of Padre?"

"Padre will in fact be disposed of rather soon after concealing a British military operative from our notice in association with Prudek," Davies replied calmly. "However, I would believe this comes as no surprise to you."

"Very good Davies," Constantine's lips rose at the sides. "I expected nothing less."

Davies made no move to pull his weapon as he instead reciprocated the expression. "You have a copy of the details?"

"Of course," Constantine agreed. "I am not so foolish to arrive without a very tempting offer, one beyond being the closest operative and therefore the easiest to get to The Australian."

Davies let out a short and almost condescending laugh at that. "I shall make it an urgent consultation with Triglav and Welsh."

"I shall leave my details with you then," Constantine agreed as he slid a card onto the desk from his sleeve. "One week the number will change. I trust you shall be able to find me by other means should situations lead to it taking longer."

"Yes," Davies agreed simply as he took the card and placed it on front of him, not willing to put it in his pocket in current company. Constantine stood and Davies mimicked the movement as the man walked for the door. "What timescale are we looking at critical action on an intercept based on the drive details?"

"Third week of July."

Davies watched the blonde haired man disappear out of the room with calculating eyes before he sat down with a thoughtful look at the card. He felt his lips tilt at the side when he read the normal looking business card of one of Biosyn's biggest and well protected investors. An investor with enough knowledge that Davies himself had noted the man as a risk. An investor that had American authorities in a panic when he turned up dead the night before in his heavily secured home in New York just one year after he hit the top 100 wealthiest men in the world listing.

 _Adrijan Pavic_

 _Mergers and Acquisitions Specialist_

Davies flipped the card with a raised eyebrow to see an international number scribbled on the back in pencil. The corner of the card was tainted a deep red brown, almost as if the card had been purposefully dipped in blood on one corner as proof. Davies pulled one of the envelopes from the drawer beside him and slid the card inside to send for DNA testing that Pavic was indeed dead, before he picked up the phone to make contact with the relevant people.

Constantine would be quite the addition.

* * *

Alex sighed when he heard the shouting from downstairs and he placed his pencil down on the pad of paper a little hard than was needed as he waited to hear if there was another yell. He picked up the pencil again after counting to ten and started reading through the English Literature passage he was meant to be analysing as there was another yell. He threw his pencil down and shoved his chair away from the desk.

The first tendrils of a sleep deprived headache were seeping into his brain and he was attempting to concentrate. In short terms he was in no mood to be pissed off.

Alex yanked his door open and stomped down the stairs, hearing the yells coming from the kitchen. It seemed to be a pretty one side argument and Alex pushed past Eagle who was leant against the doorframe with an exasperated face to see Wolf red in the face and Ben gesturing with his hands as he spoke with his back to the door.

"What do you want me to do Wolf?" Ben asked in a rough tone. Alex nudged Snake gently and the medic looked at him with a somewhat helpless expression and a shrug.

"Say fucking no!" Wolf bellowed, Alex winced slightly as the sound cut into his ears.

"You think I didn't do that already?" Ben asked as he stood up. Alex felt as Snake and Eagle tensed on either side of him and he looked at them both with amused expressions. It was Wolf's fist clenching together that made him sigh and walk into the room and stand in front of Ben with a disdainful look at Wolf.

"You really don't want to hit him," Alex stated plainly. Wolf blinked in surprise as Ben took a deep breath behind him.

"Don't get involved," Ben said as he placed a hand on Alex's shoulder. The blonde looked at it with a raised eyebrow before he gave Ben a disdainful look. "I mean it Alex. Move."

"Not a hope in hell," Alex responded, Ben's face morphed into a glare.

"You don't have to stick up for me."

"Yeah Cub, run along and play with your friends," Wolf said in a smug tone. Alex raised an eyebrow at him and tilted his head to one side.

"Cub now is it? What happened to Double O Nothing?" Alex asked in a plain tone, Wolf's mouth clicked closed and he felt Ben put pressure on his shoulder to move. Alex did but not out of the way, instead he just turned and looked at Ben with a plain expression. "What are you arguing about?"

"Nothing," Ben returned in a cold tone. Alex took a deep breath and looked at Snake with a pointed look that changed to disdainful when the medic didn't immediately respond.

"Croatia," Snake said with a shrug. Alex quirked an eyebrow up at that and let out a small laugh.

"You are joking," Alex saw Ben tense at the laugh and he looked at the dark haired man carefully. "Idiots, the pair of you. Especially you, Ben."

"What?" Ben snapped.

"You have enough brains to not get so pissed about something as clean cut as that operation," Alex stated with a sigh.

"Leaving a 17 year old to die on a rooftop isn't exactly clean cut," Ben stated in a tone Alex knew was carefully measured by the twitch of a muscle in the side of Ben's neck.

"Well what were you going to do about it?" Alex countered quickly with an even look at Ben as he took a step away from between the two men to see both of them when Wolf spoke again.

"You haven't got to defend my decision," Wolf said in a low even tone, his eyes fixed on Ben. Alex scoffed and looked at the unit leader with a smirk.

"Of everyone in the room, defending _your_ decision is the lowest on my priorities list Wolf," Alex returned in a dispassionate tone. Wolf flinched before he looked at him with a sneer. "I'm defending my own."

"You could have died Alex!" Ben exclaimed in a serious tone.

"I make the decision to do the operations. I know the risks," Alex returned with a pointed look.

"You shouldn't be there," Wolf spat. Alex looked at him with a smirk. "It's not funny brat."

"Again with the names," Alex said as he rolled his eyes and dropped the expression. "I choose to be there Wolf. Deal with it, or shut up."

"Don't tell me to shut up kid," Wolf spat aiming a glare at the young spy. Alex turned to look at the unit leader with a raised eyebrow before he shook his head slightly.

"You don't change. All glares and loud yells." Wolf's fists clenched at that and Alex glanced at Ben and Snake as he saw them tense in the corner of his eye, before dragging his eyes back to Wolf. "You really need to stop with this "Cub is a kid" crap Wolf."

"You _are_ a kid," Wolf snapped. Alex smirked at that and he saw the fists clench again.

"Cub-" Snake started before Alex gave him a dismissive look. The medic clicked his mouth closed and Alex turned his eyes back to Wolf who was sneering at the ground.

"Run out of original stuff to say?" Alex asked calmly. He felt Ben tense beside him again and Wolf snapped his head up with a scowl.

"You're such an infuriating little shit." Wolf spat. Alex shrugged, and Wolf's fists clenched again. "Even Fox agrees with me on that."

"Fucking tattletale," Ben muttered in a sullen tone from beside him. Alex shifted his weight on his feet to detract from the tensing of muscles at that statement.

"I'm supposed to be bothered?" Alex asked with a somewhat amused smirk. Wolf glared at him.

"No wonder that family ditched you, you're nothing more than a little git," Wolf spat. Alex fully tensed in response to that, thinking to himself that Wolf had no fucking right to even comment before he crossed his arms and lifted an eyebrow imperiously.

"We can't all have a nice family Wolf," Alex countered waspishly. Wolf's mouth clicked closed and Alex felt a hand on his shoulder, he knew Ben would have recognised the signs and he internally sighed.

"That's enough," Ben said seriously. Alex looked at him curiously and Ben shook her head with a pointed look. Alex dropped the arms from across his chest with a lingering smug look at Wolf as he took a step back.

"They ditched you because you lied," Wolf spat. Alex gave him a small nod. "Figures."

"How'd you work that one out?" Alex asked with a smirk. Wolf returned the expression.

"You're a spy, lies are natural."

"You're SAS only good for brute force," Alex responded dismissively as he knocked Ben's hand of his shoulder. "If I remember right though, you weren't too bad at lying yourself. Good enough to get me out of that hospital in France at least."

Wolf blinked once in response to that and Alex felt Ben tense beside him, he looked over his shoulder to see Ben's plain game face on and he glanced at Snake whose eyes had widened. Eagle was the last he looked at and the man let out a disbelieving huff of laughter.

"What?" Eagle breathed, the remnants of the laugh leaving his face as he looked at Alex.

"You never told them," Alex stated with a customary teenage smirk on his face once again. "You're a fucking hypocrite as well then."

Ben stepped around him with a frown on his face, "Luke?"

"It's classified," Wolf returned carefully. Alex watched Ben's eyebrows rise as Wolf glowered back at the blonde. Alex kept his eyes on Wolf as the silence and tension grew around them. Wolf's eyes narrowed before he blinked once and looked away. Alex let out a huff of condescending laughter and turned away towards the door.

"Right, I'm just going to leave you to sort this out then," Alex said as he headed for the door. He felt a hand snag his wrist in a tight grip and turned to find Ben looking at him with a serious expression.

"Not a hope in hell," Ben stated. Alex scoffed and went to yank his wrist away when Ben gave him a look that almost looked like he was asking for help. Alex hesitated for a second and he knew Ben would have seen it. Mentally he swore at himself and knew he couldn't rightly leave now without looking like a complete ass. Alex forced himself to relax and he felt Ben let go of his wrist in response to it as the dark haired man looked back at Wolf. "You worked with him? After all the shit you've given me."

"It was once," Wolf stated with a disdainful look at Alex. "And I never even meant for it to happen."

"And you think I did?!" Ben exclaimed, Wolf flinched at that and Alex smirked as he looked between them. "I never wanted to be partnered. I would never have even signed a damn contract if I knew Alex was still there after my first secondment."

"In fairness I never wanted to see any of you ever again," Alex supplied offhandedly. He felt four pairs of eyes look at him and he held himself still, crushing the urge to shift uncomfortably. Wolf narrowed his eyes at him.

"Then why did you even come here?"

"I don't know," Alex admitted simply. "I don't remember why I decided to come here. I should have gone straight to SO."

"You would never have made it to the office," Ben stated with a deep breath. "I gave you my address in case of an emergency a few months ago, and that was exactly what it was."

"Lucky the brat didn't pick up a tail on the way." Wolf muttered, Alex restrained his glare and instead clenched a fist at his side.

"I'm not that stupid. I got rid of my tail in Paris," Alex said stiffly, "It's bad enough I even came here. Working as partners gets people killed Wolf."

"That's cold," Eagle commented quietly. Alex gave him a raised eyebrow look.

"That's espionage," Alex returned steadily with a shrug before he turned his eyes back to Wolf. "You really have no right to judge something you don't understand."

"I do understand," Wolf insisted. Alex raised an eyebrow at him and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Then why the hell are you being so childish?" Alex asked waspishly. Wolf glared at him.

"Little shit," Wolf spat.

"When are you going to get it into your head that names don't hurt me. I'd sooner you punch me because it's not quite so pathetic," Alex responded with his own glare.

"You have no idea what happened in Baghdad kid," Wolf hissed. Alex felt the room tense and he scanned each face quickly.

"Your team got hurt," Alex countered, ignoring the various signs of surprise on people's faces. "You felt guilty for it."

"That's not –"

"Tell me I'm wrong and I will say one word to disprove it," Alex stated with an overconfident smirk. Wolf looked at him carefully before he shook his head.

"You're wrong."

Alex pinched his lips together before he shrugged. "Cougar."

Alex didn't have time to duck before he felt the sharp sting of knuckles against his face. The tense silence was broken as there were surprised yells from the others and the sounds of chairs scraping back against the tiled floor. Alex shook his head gently, when he had landed on the floor and eased himself to his feet. Ben came to stand by his side as tense as a bowstring and Wolf was being spoken to in low tones by Snake while Eagle was grasping his shoulders with white knuckled hands. Snake moved away a second later and stood to one side looking between the two of them warily.

"Thank you," Alex said simply. Wolf's scowl fell away to be replaced by a look of confusion and Alex shrugged. "I've wanted someone to do that for a while."

"Why?" Wolf asked, obviously confused.

"Because Stevens wouldn't have died if I hadn't fucked up that jump," Alex stated in a carefully measured tone. Wolf and Snake shared a look and the medic took a step forwards with a calculating look at Alex.

"You knew Cougar?" Snake asked. Alex nodded

"He was someone that was sent to bring me in for an assignment."

"You worked with him?" Wolf asked brusquely.

"Only in Croatia. Before that we just had a chat, a friendly hello here and there, that sort of thing," Alex admitted. "He was one of the few that didn't immediately react like you four did when I turned up in Wales."

"That was a long time ago," Ben said cautiously. Alex gave him an amused look.

"Of course it was. I don't give two flying fucks." Alex returned, "If I did I wouldn't have bothered even coming down here."

"Why did you?" Wolf asked gruffly with a frown. Alex shrugged.

"Because I have two months of coursework to catch up on and you idiots are distracting me," Alex returned seriously. Ben looked at him with a disbelieving look. "The pair of you need to drop it, because I'm not stopping doing the assignments. What that does to your friendship is your deal, but if you both seem to hate me so much, why fall out over it?"

Wolf pushed his lips together with a look at Ben and the elder spy nodded his acknowledgement of the phrasing. Alex hid the not-so-small amount of hurt from Ben's gesture before he looked between the two of them and walked to the freezer. He pulled out a couple of ice cubes and grabbed a kitchen towel and wrapped them in it. He twisted the end and held it tight in one hand.

"That's going to bruise a good 'un," Wolf commented brusquely. Alex made an uncaring expression and shrugged.

"Worth it. Am I actually going to be able to get on now?" Alex asked looking between Ben and Wolf carefully. The pair nodded slowly and Alex gave a small smile. "Good."

Alex walked up the stairs quickly and pulled his bedroom door closed from the outside and crouched by the bannister silently. He could hear footsteps from the kitchen and he waited, holding the ice pack to his cheek.

"Is he always that calm?" Alex smirked when Wolf's voice drifted up the stairs.

"It's annoying right?"

Alex gave a silent huff of laughter before he padded back to his room and eased the door open silently. He pushed it closed after him and settled himself back in front of his desk. He picked up the pencil he'd thrown down not thirty minutes before and forced his mind back onto his English literature course work.


End file.
